Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I really want you to know I appreciate it and I'm sorry if I didn't respond to your last one. I always like to thank you for reading, reviewing, story alerting, or favoring but sometimes I don't have the time when I get the review, story alert, ect. So I forget when I do have the time. So sorry.
A good song besides Should I Tell Her to listen to on repeat while reading this chapter is:
Decode- Paramore
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and I don't own Should I Tell Her. All I own is Arina and that bug that just died on the floor… okay so I don't own it but really who will stop me?
Should Tell Her?
Chapter
The only thing he could ask himself as she silently returned to her un-talkative sleeping state, '….kun?'
Well that was a new one for the rapidly increasing books of things he didn't understand about Sakura. Though, what he didn't know was, there was a whole separate library.
This library contained the also rapidly increasing books of things Sakura did not understand about him…
She woke to steady thrumming of a heartbeat, gentle rhythm of a pulse, and soft breathing, none of which included her own. Blinking lazily, she adjusted to the light and in her sight was maroon fabric. Sakura's hearing adjusted to the heartbeat just next to her ear. Warmth of approximately 96 degrees Fahrenheit surrounded her skin that seeped through the maroon fabric. The breathing was just a half a second off sync with her own.
Sakura went rigid. 'How do I know all this?' Her head began to ache as her senses pumped information into her mind. Once the ache had reduced to a dull throb with the use of some chakra, Sakura realized what could possibly be 96 degrees, breathe, and have a heartbeat.
Who was she lying on?! Controlling her panic, she carefully raised her head as to not awake the person who was apparently sleeping. She caught sight of hanging maroon hair and she immediately recognized who she was lying on.
'Sweet Kami… Gaara?!' She felt and heard her heartbeat accelerate. Her legs were curled up in his lap and she was leaning into his chest. One of her arms was settled in between her chest and his; her other was lazily placed on his shoulder and her hand curled around his neck.
Closing her eyes tightly, she inwardly sighed, 'How to get myself out of this one…?' The medic decided to test how light or heavy a sleeper he was.
Taking a quiet deep breath, she froze. Her senses picked up his scent that was like tidal wave hitting her full on. It was musky-like sandalwood scent she couldn't really categorize. It had a certain amount of the same fragrance that one smells in the desert air. All she knew was that it seemed just so him like. Not too strong, but strong enough to catch her attention. Closing her eyes, she regained her resolve and self control.
Raising her hand slowly and carefully, she placed her hand lightly on his neck. When he didn't react, she thought it was safe to move her hand with a little more pressure up his neck and onto his jaw.
He still didn't react, 'good,' she thought. Sliding her fingers across his chin, she hesitated under his lips.
Restricted territory.
Avert mission…? Her fingers slid down his chin as she thought about this.
Hell no. She needed to get herself out of this situation before her suckish luck decided to rear its ugly head even more so and he woke up.
Recovered from her falter, she moved her fingers over his cheek. She slid her fingers up until they were just under his temple and cupped his cheek with enough pressure that his head turned slightly to her left. Closed, kohl outlined eyes twitched, and her breath hitched as she froze.
Limits pressed?
Yes.
Limits snapped?
No, he continued to sleep soundly.
She slid her hand up his face, tracing her fingers over his forehead. Carefully placing her palm on his scar, Sakura felt the indentation of the kanji. It was enough to make her move her hand into his hair.
Dancing her fingers threw his spiky locks of long scarlet hair, Sakura's lips curved up. They were as soft as they looked- maybe softer. She ran her hand down the back of his head and through the loose hair hanging at his neck.
As the pink headed teen pressed her fingers skillfully into the back of his scalp, a hitched breath blew from his lips. Staring at his otherwise unmoving expression, she moved her fingers back up to the top of his head.
Sakura smiled in amusement as her hand pushed his spikes in awkward directions. She then moved her hand down the side of his head through his hair, experimentally pressuring her fingers as she did so.
Lifting her other hand from in between their chests, she raised her hand to trace along his face.
Sakura was lost the second her hand made contact with his face while her hand still played with his hair. As she stared as his closed kohl eyes, her hand moved on its own accord to the dark skin. Apparently heightened senses dully picked up an increasing heartbeat, though if it was her own she was unaware in her distracted state. Her fingers brushed lighter against his skin as she moved them down his cheek, as she had forgotten her original goal. She imagined the gorgeous pale sea foam eyes behind the kohl and leaned forward in her stupor. He was just… beautiful?
Her nose brushed against his. His breath hitched and she felt him stiffen.
It was then she realized something that was so incredibly obvious her thoughts weren't wasted on it, but instead,
'Holy shit, since when does Gaara sleep?'
Inner Sakura thought now was a good time to chime in, 'He doesn't.'
It was then her movements jerked, and if he was sleeping (which she now realized he didn't) he sure as hell wouldn't be after that. She gasped and slid off his lap, landing awkwardly sitting against his thigh with her legs sprawled on his lap and her arms grabbing the edge of the hospital bed behind her holding herself up.
His eyes had snapped open at the sudden movement and he stared at her with an expression she couldn't identify. Chest heaving with shock, she stared open-mouthed at the inquisitive looking Kazekage in front of her. Well, not exactly in front being she was still half way sprawled on his lap.
Scrambling, she didn't realize she was on the very edge of the bed before he had reached out and grabbed her to prevent her from falling. Sakura was tugged back onto his lap even closer to him than before just because she had forgotten one of the most basic things Tsunadae had taught her. Never lose your bearings in battle. Though of course this situation was far from any battle she had ever fought in the physical aspect, she felt it applied well with the mental battle of it.
Long story short, her mind was in chaotic turmoil.
And he! He was just sitting there staring at her! Couldn't he do something other than staring at her with the eyes she had just been fantasizing about-
'Damn it no!'
Couldn't he do something other than staring at her like she had spontaneously sprouted five more eyes (although in his defense, it must've been quite a sight to see the renowned Konoha medic nin to be flustered, straddling his lap, and gaping at him) or something! Not moving an inch with his hands on her waist and his arms resting on her legs, it didn't help that her senses picked up everything-
'Son of a bitch, no!'
Gaara was now looking at her with wider, even more curious eyes.
Should I let her know I'm really in love
And that she's the one I been thinking of.
She should rip the damn things out! But she couldn't… damn him for having such beautiful eyes! The bastard…
His lips quirked ever so slightly, though the expression of curiosity in his eyes did not change. What was that…? Was he… was that bastard… smirking…?
A feral growl rose from her throat that ripped through her teeth and passed her lips.
The smirk grew, and this time the amusement reached his eyes. Son… of a… Bitch.
Sakura was pissed. She lunged.
Gaara was surprised. He tumbled.
The bed with wheels really wasn't made for a pissed off power-house in the form of a girl trying to strangle one of the most powerful shinobi in the world, Suna's Kazekage. It showed. The bed jerk and both shinobi we sent hurdling to the floor in a mass of sand and feminine growling.
They landed with Sakura pining Gaara's shoulders down, straddling his torso and using her legs to keep him relatively still.
He stared up at her with wide eyes. She grinned in victory.
Hell no.
Admittedly, he cheated a little. But he really didn't give a damn. He had her pinned- that's what was important. So he used is sand to do so, whatever, just a technicality.
Gaara was leaning over her, smirking again. Her arms were pinned to her sides and he was straddling her waist, his slightly longer legs affectively keeping hers together, so she couldn't use her legs to flip over. By his calculations she had no way to move. He was wrong, but, luckily, he heard all the information he needed in order to keep her pinned. Maybe he was enjoying this a bit too much… the frustrated look on her face… or her hair that was spread on the floor… or the way her lip jut out in thought… Whatever, they were just technicalities.
Women of my dreams ain't no one above her,
Should I tell her..
'Move my arm slightly to the right, I can reverse his hold and flip him over…' She tried to do so a second too late as he had taken her arms and pinned them above her head. 'Damn it!'
'Alright, new strategy…' Sakura attempted to lift her torso off the ground to loosen his hold on her legs, but he simply lean forward and pressed her back flat against the floor. She snarled in frustration. Why were they even doing this? Well, she got pissed off, lost her temper, and now was too stubborn to lose whatever the hell it was they were doing.
'Last chance…' She crossed her ankles and attempted to push her knees off to propel him forward and off her, but he simply slid his legs lower to her knees.
'Damn him… I can't be that predictable… it's like he can hear what I'm thinking!'
He lowered his face next to hers, his mouth by her ear, "That's because I can."
Jade eyes widened and a gasp sucked through her teeth, 'WHAT?!'
Gaara nodded, climbing off her and allowing her to sit up, "Shukaku linked our minds, and I can hear all your thoughts." He kept his face impassive as he waited for her reaction.
Realization was accompanied by the far off look in her eyes.
She then paled. It had sunken in. There was a monster inside her head, hearing every thought and-
"You bastard," Anger, he half expected that, "Why can you hear my thoughts but I can't hear yours!" Sakura then began pouting, "So not fair."
After realizing the Kazekage was just staring at her now, she gave him a look, "What?"
"…"
"What damn it?!" The medic snapped crossing her arms.
"I tell you there is a demon inside your mind that is linking our thoughts and your concern is why you can't hear my thoughts?" This was probably the first time she heard sheer disbelief in his voice (and one of the longest continuous sentences she heard from him). Though, it was mixed with some kind of angry emotion. Perhaps it was frustration.
"I'm also concerned to why I'm supersensitive to everything," she defended, her chin titling up ever so slightly, "But yes, I am."
His forehead wrinkled as if he was raising his eyebrows, as if he were blessed with such, "Supersensitive?"
Sakura opened her mouth, but she was just frozen for a moment in thought, and after the moment, she closed her mouth and shook her head. "I can't explain it, and I don't think you'd understand anyway."
Gaara frowned. If she meant what he thought she meant, there was no way in hell for him not to understand. "Try harder," he said hoarsely, receiving a half-hearted glare, though she complied anyway.
Studying her face, he was slightly intrigued by the unique expression she wore while concentrating. Her lips then began to move and he gave her his attention, instead of just staring at her, "It's like… I can feel, and I know, all these things… facts really, about everything in the room." Jade eyes glanced at him, "Like how I know your body heat is 96.2 degrees instead of 98.6 and how I can hear your pulse and…" She the shook her head, "I'm just insane."
The Kazekage just sighed almost silently and shook his head, "No, it's because of Shukaku. I can feel those things too…" The way he was now staring at her caused her to shift in her position sitting next to him on the floor.
"Really?" Sakura leaned towards him, interested, until, that is, she realized she had pressed the contact limit with the Kazekage already. Sure, being casual was perfectly fine for friends, like they were, but do to the fact he was the Kazekage and she was the visiting-nin, things were getting a little too informal.
Straightening her back, she remembered all the questions that had been racing the night before, she picked the most basic, "Gaara… how is this possible? How is Shukaku in my head and yours?"
Gaara just shook his head slightly, telling her he did not know.
"Oh… well… why is he in my head…?"
Her reply was just the shaking of his head.
'Lies,' a voice growled in his head.
"Why can't I hear your thoughts?" The kunoichi asked bluntly, frustration written clear as day on her face.
Gaara pondered this, "I believe it is because you are incapable of understanding them, not hearing necessarily."
She felt her brow twitch, was that a shot at her intelligence? Sighing, Sakura decided now was not the time to get pissed off pointlessly. "How can I learn to understand them?"
Sakura received a slightly surprised look, "What?"
"Wouldn't hearing my thoughts, the demon … unnerve you?" 'It would certainly unnerve me with her knowing.' …Understatement.
"No not really."
Gaara's face snapped violently to her and he stared at her with narrowed eyes. "Stop," he snarled, she stared at him questioningly "stop, damn you woman."
Blinking, Sakura asked, "Stop… what exactly, Gaara?"
He suddenly stood up, grabbing her arm roughly as he did so. "Stop acting like it doesn't bother you! I've been inside your mind for fucks sake! I know it does!"
"You're right…" she whispered, her demeanor suddenly changing, "but I want to try and understand, Gaara! I want to understand… it… him…"
Slamming her back against the wall, "If you care about the life you are living at all, you will distance yourself and interest from him." He snarled then suddenly stalked out the door. She stared, wide eyed, at the spot where he had just been standing. What had made him so angry?
Separating her self from the sudden fear that washed over her as she remembered just how dangerous and unstable the shinobi she had grown so comfortable with was, Sakura ran after him. As she followed him in silence, they walked down the hall and she, trying to distract herself, glanced around for the other three… where were they?
As they walked past the nurses, they saw she was with the Kazekage, bowed to him, and allowed her to leave (the glare sent by the maroon haired Kage helped a bit in that decision, too.)
Soon realizing they were in route back to his house, she relaxed a bit, though still keeping a distance behind him, not minding the silence.
…
As for the rest of the Sand Siblings, plus Naruto, they had been informed of Sakura and Gaara's departure from the hospital. Naruto wanted to go see her straight away, but somehow Arina had convinced Naruto to eat lunch before hand (the fact that she had used one of her mind jutsu was irrelevant… simply a technicality.)
She also took him shopping for ramen, trying to buy more time for Gaara and Sakura, and sent Kankurou off for his "doll parts" as she called them and Temari for whatever it was that the psycho blonde needed.
…
Upon entering the Kazekage's mansion, the silence continued, until Sakura sighed and paused in the doorway of the kitchen, catching Gaara's attention.
"Gaara…"
He looked up, soon wishing he hadn't. Beautifully striking jade eyes locked onto his, her head tilted as she stood unsurely with her arms at her sides.
Gaara snarled as he felt pressure against his mind. Though it wasn't physical, it felt somewhat like there was a force squeezing his mind. His body stiffened to the point of pain and he cringed as his knees gave out.
Sakura was worse for wear. Her body was freezing and her normally large amount of chakra rapidly decreased and she staggered backwards, slamming her back against the wall. After moments of an agonizing migrate, she slid down the wall.
Her head fell against the wall with a dull thud and Gaara lifted his head to look at her.
"You need rest," he breathed, "Go to sleep."
Sakura just frowned, remembering his earlier anger and not wanting to go anything to set him off again, and complied. She staggered up the stairs and into her room, knowing fully well sleep wasn't something that was going to come- nor did she want it to.
…
When her bed room door busted open, she was positive it was going to be a certain Kazekage, pissed that she was still attempting to interpret his thoughts.
"Sakura-chan!" She was squeezed to the point of blunt physical pain, along with a strange, dull throbbing in her head. "You are okay!"
Another pair of arms squeezed her, "you really worried me you pink headed spastic ditz!"
"I'm sorry, before next time something totally out of my control happens to me, I'll be sure to consult you first." Sakura laughed as she was released from the two blonde's hugs.
"Good to know you aren't anymore psycho than we already knew, Pinky."
Apparently, Arina hadn't told them yet…
"Gee thanks Kankurou," she replied dryly.
…
Something panged inside his head, like a bell being hit with an aluminum bat. Gripping his head, Gaara gritted his teeth in pain. It was different from Shukaku, but had the same feeling of infiltration. He felt it resembled the pressure from earlier with Sakura in the kitchen… but now he also felt coldness creeping around his body until it had engulfed his senses.
It continued for many moments until it suddenly stopped.
'What the hell?!'
'…Gaara…'
His eyes widened, Sakura! Had she…
'Oh… Gaara…'
By the pained sound of her thoughts… she had.
Could he be anymore royally fucked?
Should I really show my feelings inside?
Everyday, its getting' harder to hid.
...
Later that night, Sakura found him on the roof, sitting with his right leg sprawled out and his left one bent, his right arm resting on it and leaning on his left. The cold, chilling wind blew and she crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing up and down her forearms.
Unsure, the medic stood silently, shifting from foot to foot, behind him. She preoccupied herself for those couple of moments with rubbing her arms and brushing stray strands of hair from her face.
"You can understand my thoughts now."
Silently, Sakura walked forward and sat down next to him, not realizing the distance was that of only about a half a foot, looking at his expression openly, "Yes."
Still not looking at her, he continued, "You are in my head now."
Gaara finally turned to her, those sharp black outlines sea foam eyes pinning her. After studying her for a moment, he leaned towards her, as if getting closer would help him understand what emotion was playing on her face, under the surprise. His right hand left his leg and he was now leaning on it as he moved towards her.
"And… you can feel that I…"
Swallowing, she nodded, not withdrawing from his advance, "Yes."
"And still you don't run…"
In the trance staring at his eyes put her in, she needlessly replied, "Yes"
It was silent for a while and Sakura finally broke her eye contact, looking everywhere but at the shinobi staring at her, silent as death. It was awkward; the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. She looked down and noticed his pale hand was covered in goose bumps, much like hers, which sat next to his between them.
"You're cold," She stated, deciding to ignore everything but his hand, though not looking up at him but instead at their hands, "And no sand shield?"
Gaara spared a glance at his hand, already knowing her hand was next to his, noticing her hand also covered in goose bumps, "Hn. You're cold too. Why aren't you asleep?"
She smiled tiredly at him, "You didn't answer my question."
"Nor did you mine."
Sighing, Sakura brought her knees to her chest and hugged them with one arm, leaving her other hand to continue resting besides his. "I couldn't sleep."
Gaara turned his head back towards the sky, though he didn't return to his original sitting position, "Shukaku doesn't feel the need to protect me fully right now."
"What I'm no threat?" The medic asked jokingly, glad for the opportunity to lift the silence.
Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he replied, "No," she pouted slightly, not conscience of it, "For some odd reason, the demon trusts you."
"What makes that so odd?"
He didn't reply.
So much for finally understanding his thoughts too…
After a couple moments of more silence, Sakura sighed, catching his attention again, "I seriously want to know why that is so odd, Gaara."
Gaara turned his head toward her ever so slightly, "You are dangerous."
"Sure, so I lose my temper sometimes, I don't see-,"
"No," the faded-redhead interrupted, "That's not what I meant… You are dangerous because of what you control."
After a couple moments of contemplating, Sakura decided that for now not knowing what the hell he was talking about was the best way to go about things. In this way, she didn't have to act immediately on his thoughts, thus giving her more thinking time.
Time in which was abruptly cut short by a fine bladed knife within that same moment, caused by an action so insignificant the normal person would ignore, or dully note, had they been anyone but the Kazekage next to her.
The wind blew, damn the wind, and the medic shivered. The shudder racked the kunoichi's body, shaking her for only a moment until she stilled. In that moment of trembling in the bone chilling air, her hand brushed against his.
After all that had happened that morning, what caused Gaara to react the way he did neither of them would ever know.
Gripping her hand, the maroon haired shinobi tugged it forcefully, successfully making Sakura fall from her position with her knees bent out in front of her to landing on her hip unsteadily with her knees resting against his thigh, overlapping it slightly.
He found himself leaning in more, then pausing, not knowing what the hell came after that.
She smiled softly; obviously amused the high and mighty Gaara walked himself into an awkward position. Taking mercy on him, she leaned the rest of the way in, tilting her head slightly to the right, and paused an inch before him. They just stared at each other for moments as Gaara figured out what he wanted to do and Sakura gave him time to do so. Though, as if the deities above enjoyed his misery like sweet god damn nectar, as soon as he had figured out just what that was, the wind blew again.
The pink headed teen shuddered once again, pulling away from him slightly to wrap her arms around her self. Gaara found his arm, his betraying arm, snaking around the kunoichi's shoulders. Jade eyes glanced up at him, and then crinkled at the edges as she smiled soundlessly at him. In turn, sea foam eyes widened as her arms slid around his waist and she curled up at his side. Her head leaning on Gaara's chest with her arms around him, Sakura peered through her bangs at his face, which was tilted up towards the sky, but when sensing her gaze turned back towards her.
They exchanged a silent, though painstakingly simple and lacking of detail, conversation. Fuck everything else, and figure it out in the morning… or perhaps next week. Whichever was more comfortable, and considering how comfortable the ignorance is bliss concept they currently had going on was, figuring out the situation wouldn't happen for a while.
I imagine life with her by my side but,
Should I tell her...
It wasn't exactly either of their plans, but it worked out wonderfully none the less.
The cold didn't really affect them for that moment, and the following after that.
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