A/N: Yay! This chappie is all on Gaara and Matsuri! Enjoy!

-[The chakra of his love-

"Wait up, Gaara-kun!" Matsuri panted and panted. They've been running for a long time now, without any rest. Gaara stopped and glanced back at his mistress, waiting for her to catch up.

"I'm sorry, I'm not very good at…..AHHH!" Matsuri gave a short cry when she tripped over her own gown. A blush creeped on her cheeks when she saw her ripped dress. Embarrassingly, her outfit looked more like a mini skirt now. Giving her a hand, Gaara gently pulled Matsuri to her feet. The girl mumbled a soft 'thank you' to her bodyguard and attempted to yank her 'mini skirt' down to her knees. Finally, she realized that pulling the cloth wouldn't make it grow any longer. Matsuri darted her dark eyes from Gaara back to her torn dress, and flushed even redder.

"Here." The redhead took off his coat and handed it to her, "Wear it before you catch a cold." He advised with his usual emotionless tone, and helped Matsuri put it on. She nodded appreciatively.

"Let's take a rest here." Gaara said. Once again, he unfolded a blanket and placed it neatly under a tree. He gestured his mistress to take a seat and she did so slowly. She looked up at him, standing so firmly on his grounds and observing again for the approaching enemy. Matsuri liked that. The unbreakable silence drowned them yet again, realizing that the two were too familiar with it. The fresh scent of the gentle wind mixed with the known smell of pines, surrounded the resting mistress, and she smiled. Now's the perfect time, I'll tell Gaara-kun how I really feel! Matsuri thought and stood up.

Nervously, the girl brushed through her short russet hair. Gaara did his typical posture; crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby tree, and waited patiently for her to say something. She did. "Gaara-kun, I need to tell you something really important!" Her voice was toned with excitement and energy, "I really l…."

All of a sudden, her bodyguard swung her behind him protectively and a dozen shurikens whizzed past the two. Matsuri's eyes widened with fear as Gaara pushed her off to the side.

"Don't move!!" A deep voice boomed from the bushes, and five men leaped out. "You have no where else to go, follow us back, and no one will get hurt." Matsuri remembered all of their outfits; they were Hiashi's guards, no doubt. Gaara stood up and walked forward, but glanced back at his mistress with worry when she tugged onto his sleeve.

"Gaara-kun, let's just follow them back. I don't want you to get hurt." Her eyes were full of alert. Gaara smirked.

"Don't underestimate me." He grunted in a low voice and pulled away from her, "They're not taking you anywhere."

Gaara held out a fist and a wave of sand broke loose, creating a huge avalanche that drowned the five men. His enemies shrieked in pain as Gaara tightened his fist, strengthening his blanket of sand also. Matsuri could only admire her hero from behind, sitting there without making a sound. Still controlling the wave, Gaara noticed something odd. There were five men before, but how come there are only four men inside his sand grip? He searched around for the missing enemy until a painful shriek was heard behind him. Gaara spun around instantly and saw the man clutching harshly onto Matsuri's throat, tightening little by little.

"Let go of her!" He yelled out with agony, those solemn eyes of his was filled with vexation and kill. The girl continued her painful cries as she felt the tense grip on her throat. Still, the guard didn't release her. "Then, I'll have to kill you."

Gaara manipulated his sand to grab onto the man, but due to his inattention, he let go of the other four.

"Caught you off guard, didn't I?" One of the four took out a kunai and gored the sharp object onto Gaara's shoulder as powerful as he can. The weapon dug deep into Gaara as he tried to withhold his own scream of pain. The redhead clenched his teeth hard and sweat beaded from his forehead. He didn't want his mistress to worry about him. He had to stay firm.

"GAA…" She tried yelling for Gaara, but she couldn't. Matsuri attempted to jerk the man's hand off of her throat, but he was too strong. The longing for Gaara tortured her severely, and soon, her pain turned into tears dripping off from her flawless cheeks.

Just then, Gaara reached for the kunai that was stabbed at his back and pulled it out. It still hurt, but he knew Matsuri needed him. Clenching his bloody fists, Gaara focused all his remaining chakra and created yet another upsurge of sand, but this time, the enemy would have no escape. The man let go of Matsuri and tried to flee for his life before he was caught in the avalanche, but it was too late.

"Sand coffin!" The sound of Gaara's determined voice awoke Matsuri and she hesitated a smile. Deathly screams of the foes ended the fight and as swiftly as Gaara could, he slipped his arms under Matsuri's neck and legs, and carried the girl off.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Gradually, Matsuri's brown eyes opened up wide. What just happened? Matsuri pondered a while until she recalled the bloody battle. She coughed as she sat up, looking for her bodyguard in concern. Where is Gaara-kun? Matsuri's eyes watered again. All she saw were trees and bushes, and more trees and bushes. Gaara was no where to be seen.

"Matsuri-sama, you're awake. I just…." The familiar voice of the redhead made Matsuri smile, and Gaara's speech was interrupted when the sobbing girl threw her arms around his waist. She was still crying nonstop when she embraced him.

"Oh, Gaara-kun, you're okay!" Matsuri choked happily out of her tears and she wiped it away. Gaara's face reddened to the colour of his hair or maybe even brighter, and the girl released him when she realized what she was doing. Suddenly, Gaara covered his shoulder as more blood oozed out, and Matsuri noticed his injury, "Gaara-kun, your wounded!"

"I'm fine." He replied as blood seeped through his fingers. This was the first time Gaara really felt blood from his own body. Never in his early years with his mistress, did he ever bleed or get injured like this. His sand barrage was always the answer for defence, but this time, he knew he was caught off guard. Gaara paid too much attention to his mistress when she was in trouble; he didn't know if that was good or not.

"Are you sure you're alright?" The girl asked again, but she received the same answer from her bodyguard. Matsuri knew he was lying. She rummaged inside her sack and within a few seconds, Matsuri took out some dressing. Carefully, she wrapped his arm and shoulder with the bandage, and her bodyguard nodded a shy 'thanks'. That made her grin. Slowly, she supported Gaara to rest under a tree and Matsuri sat in front of him. She knew this was the right timing for her confession. No one would disrupt her this time.

"Gaara-kun," She started, her gaze locked with Gaara's, he cocked an eyebrow and waited, "I wanted to tell you this a long time ago…." Her cheeks flushed bright red, "I really admire you. No, not just admire, I really love you, that's what I mean. Do you understand?" She stared harder into his deep dark orbs. Unexpectedly, he gulped.

Matsuri frowned with disappointment, "Do you maybe…feel the same way?" Gaara tried to digest what he just heard and lingered.

"I….I…." was all he had managed to make into words, "I….I…." The redhead was stuttering now which was very unusual of him; he never knew what stammering actually was since he never did that in his life up until now. Gaara was brave and fearless, he wasn't afraid of anything, but finally he found out something that he was very scared of…..Making love confessions.

"Umm…." He wanted to stop now, but Matsuri was still giving him a waiting gape. Gaara couldn't bear leave it at that, "I guess I…." Unpredictably, Matsuri hugged him once again; she tried not to hurt his wound that much though. She shushed him and laid her head lightly onto Gaara's chest. He felt uncomfortable, but yet he also felt like he wanted Matsuri's embrace. The feeling was strange, really.

"You don't have to tell me, Gaara-kun," She smiled and continued to bring Gaara closer. Matsuri listened intimately to his heartbeats. At first, it sounded normal, until she brought Gaara closer and closer, then the heartbeats' pace became faster and faster.

One beat…

She knew he cared about her. The boy just can't admit it.

Two beats…

She also knew about his fear of making love confessions, still, she doesn't mind.

Three beats…

He was soft in the inside, now Matsuri knew. The internal Gaara was gentle and amorous. The external Gaara was the exact opposide; fervent and glaring. Now, it was as if Gaara thrusted all his armour away, showing the girl who he really was within.

"I know you love me." She noticed a tint of pink on Gaara's cheeks, and the boy shyly looked away as if he denied it, "Your heart tells me so."

The redhead felt her yearning gaze, and slowly, his arms returned her hug. His shoulder still hurt like hell, but he couldn't stop; it was as if his limbs had a mind of its own. Matsuri gave a smile when she sensed the heat of his body and his secure embrace. The unfamiliar feeling was totally new to both of them.

"And, Gaara-kun," The girl closed her eyes, inviting the fresh touch that slowly soothed her heart, "I never underestimated you."