Whirlwind
Chapter Sixteen
-Operation Day Twelve: Release-
An annoying buzz resounded around the room, and Gaara sat up sluggishly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He tried to search for his alarm clock in the dark, stubbing his finger against his side table and knocking over a glass of water, before finally finding the snooze button. He moved towards the edge and forced himself from bed. He sighed, stretching each of his arms and then cracking his back. "Oh yeah…waffles." He sighed once more, walking towards his large window and pulling the dark velvet curtains back, letting the sunlight spill in.
He stared out over the village, tightening the draw string on his sleeping pants. Without bothering to dress or put on a shirt, yet again, he made his way downstairs to start on Sakura's breakfast. Waffles were pretty simple after all, and since Sakura always got mad when he took it to her and burst into her room, he decided to set it up and leave it downstairs.
The drowsy redhead started pulling the ingredients for the waffles out, mixing it all in a large bowl and readying the batter to pour into the press. The waffles didn't take too long, so once they were done, he arranged three on each plate. He stopped and thought deeply about what Sakura would like the best. Deciding on strawberries, he went to the fridge and pulled out the red fruits along with the whip cream. Swirling the white fluff on top of Sakura's waffles, he set a strawberry in the center and two others on the side of the plate. After he was finished he set the table with their utensils and plates, as well as a glass of milk for Sakura and a glass of water for himself. He grabbed the syrup and placed it in the center. Finally he went back upstairs and knocked on Sakura's door, resisting the urge to just walk in as he had before.
A few seconds after he knocked, the door opened, revealing a very sleepy and ruffled kunoichi. She rubbed at her eyes tiredly. "Morning Gaara." She inhaled deeply, about to yawn, when she caught the sweet aroma coming from down the stairs. "Oh my God! Waffles!" she yelled, running past the surprised redhead, unaware that she was only in a baggy t-shirt that was barely long enough to cover her undergarments.
She sat at the table, humming happily to herself. "I get waffles! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!" she sang, picking up her fork. She cut into them and took a bite, moaning appreciatively. She turned to the doorway, eyes locking with amused jade ones. "These are delicious!" she exclaimed, shoving more into her mouth. "Bu av no inea ow appy I am boo av real food in th monig." She told him through her mouthful of food.
Gaara stared at her for a while, deciphering her words in his head. He moved from the doorway, a smirk on his face, as his eyes returned to hers. He stopped behind her chair, placing both his hands on her shoulders as he leaned down and whispered into her ear. "I'm glad you like them…by the way, your white, pink polka dotted panties look nice."
She stopped chewing her food, face becoming crimson. Oh crap. She had forgotten that this was what she was wearing. All of her pajamas had gotten dirty, and she hadn't had the time to wash them yet. So she'd taken an old one of Gaara's shirts and worn it to sleep in. She grabbed the hem of the shirt and bunched it up, so as not to show her undergarments again. Standing up from the table, she backed towards the stairs, sending the smirking redhead an accusing glare. The best thing to get rid of her embarrassment would be to use anger. "See what I told you about not being decent? Gosh, next time just wait for me to get up on my own!" she said, running up the stairs backwards to put on some pants, which, coincidentally, were also Gaara's. The ones she had worn when he was gone.
Once she had made it up the stairs she ran into something hard and firm. She looked behind her and gasped. Gaara was standing right in the way to her room. "Why so embarrassed Sakura?" he asked, leaning down so his face was right in front of hers, placing his hands on both her arms to keep her in place. "I said they were nice. So why are you running?" his smirk was nothing but taunting now.
Surprisingly, her face became even darker. "W-well, I w-was just going to…um…put some pants on?" she said, sounding as if she was asking him for permission.
"Um…nope." He smiled, feeling extremely playful for some reason. He picked her up, hoisting her over his shoulder so that her butt was sticking in the air and her face was behind him. "I don't have a shirt on, so it's not a problem that you don't have pants on." He explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He laughed, keeping her legs secure with his arm and patting her butt with assurance. He started down the stairs, returning to the table and setting her right on the top. He placed his hands on either side of her, his smirk only growing.
Sakura blinked. It seemed as if he wasn't going to allow the blush to leave her face. She could feel the warmth radiating from his chest, his close proximity not helping her thought process. She leaned away from him, confusion all over her face. "Um….Gaara? What are you doing?"
He snaked his hand behind her head, forcing her face to his, so close that their lips were scarcely touching. "I just wanted…" he reached behind her, keeping her close so she couldn't see. "I want to know…" he smiled, pulling away and holding up her plate between them. "If you wanted to finish your waffles?"
The blush left her face immediately, anger taking control. How dare he screw with her so early in the morning? She reached out and took a hold of the plate, pasting a convincing smile on her face. "Of course I am!" Then she shoved the plate into his unsuspecting face, effectively covering it in syrup and whipped cream. Watching as the waffles fell from his face, she began to laugh. "But, it seems that there's something wrong with them, so I'll just have to eat yours instead!" she cheered, trying to scoot across the table and grab his plate.
Gaara took a deep breath, grabbing one of her wrists and wiping the whipped cream off his face with the other. With her stuck he shoved her down, so that she was lying on her back. He mounted her and pinned her arms down. "Well that just won't do Sakura, because those are mine. But here, I'm sure you'll like this." He moved his creamed hand and wiped it all over her face. He laughed, trace amounts of the white still lingering around his face and in his hair.
She shrieked playfully, twisting her head to shield her eyes from getting covered in the sweet toppings. When he finished, she leaned up as far as she could, and wiped her face off on his, her lips grazing his just slightly. Pulling away, she laid her head back down on the table. "Well, as a child I was taught to share, so there you go. Now give me some of your waffles!" she demanded, her smile showing that she was still teasing him.
Her actions were very bold, even to him. He was glad for all the sweets now covering his face to hide the blush that lie there. "Why thank you Sakura, it's very delicious. Since you shared I guess I will as well," he whispered daringly into her ear. He moved both her hands above her head and held them together with only one of his, so that she was still pinned. He reached over with his free hand and took one of his waffles, placing it in his mouth and offering it to her as so. He pulled her hands apart and held each down with one of his own, lacing his fingers with hers.
She stared up at him in contemplation. To take the offered waffle, or not to take the offered waffle, that was the question. If she took it, then it would a bold move on her part, even with him, but if she didn't she would be labeled as a coward, especially for starting something that she couldn't finish. Her resolve hardened at that thought. She always finished what she started. So she leaned up, and slowly bit into the waffle hanging from his mouth, keeping eye contact with him the whole time. As she pulled away, her tongue darted out to lick away the syrup coating her lips.
She could see the smirk on his face, despite the waffle in his mouth. He leaned down again to offer her another piece and she took another large bite out of the waffle, but this time Gaara stayed close to her face.
"GOOD MORNING GAARA! GOOD MORNING SAKU-" a loud voice boomed. Instantaneously both Gaara and Sakura looked up, horrified at the sight.
Temari stood wide eyed and mouth agape in the doorway. "HOLY HELL! WHAT THE EFF IS GOING ON?" she screamed at the top of her lungs, pulling on her hair and trying to shield her eyes.
Gaara opened his mouth to speak, causing the waffle to fall and hit Sakura square in the face. "It's not what it looks like I swear!" he yelled. Even through the whipped cream on his face Sakura could see the blood red blush, almost matching his hair.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Sakura's on the table without pants on! You don't have on a shirt! There's white stuff EVERYWHERE! And you have her PINNED against you! But , it's not what it seems!" she screeched, running away before either of the messy duo could get another word in.
"Oh no." Gaara shut his eyes tightly, "This is bad…and now I have whipped cream in my eye!" he yelled, finally releasing Sakura and trying to get the substance out of his eyes.
Seeing that he was unsuccessful, Sakura grabbed his hands and pulled them away from his face. She let go of them, and, licking her thumb, began to wipe away the offending whipped cream. "There you go, all better." She said with a smile.
He remained still, almost looking as if he were pouting. Being a good patient to his apparent care taker. "Thanks…Sakura, what are we going to do? You know how Temari gets." He sighed, already dreading the fact that he had to leave the house.
She shrugged. "It's not like she's going to tell anyone. I mean, who's going to believe her? You have to admit that the whole scenario sounds rather farfetched to the average listener, considering who we are." She said with a smile.
Gaara ran his hand down his face, trying to keep his cool. "What do you mean who is she going to tell? Every single villager in Suna thinks we're together. Everyone will believe it." He groaned, hitting his forehead repeatedly with a closed fist.
She grabbed his fist, halting his self-beating. "Hurting yourself isn't going to solve this. People talk, they always have, and they always will. What matters most is that we know the truth. I don't care what they think about us. Denying that it is true will only give them more to talk about. I say we just continue to act as we always have, and damn what the villagers think. I never did care much for society's opinions anyways." She said with a smile, still holding his fist in her hands.
He growled, resting his forehead on her shoulder. "You don't understand Sakura, I don't personally care. You know that I could care less about things like that…but I'm the Kazekage, this is a big deal. If the elders find out, they could tell your Hokage, and could you imagine if Tsunade-sama thought we were…doing…those things?" He sighed, trying to find a happy place. "What am I worried about?" he sat up and looked over at her. "I have the power of fear. You're right Sakura. As long as I can scare anyone into silence, everything will be alright."
She smiled at his thought process. "Of course! And if you aren't scary enough, I could always beat them up! Make an example out of somebody! That way they will think twice about spreading rumors and lies."
Gaara nodded, this was full proof, he couldn't believe he lost his cool. "We are a force to be afraid of." He smiled and then looked around at their surroundings, "Why are we sitting on the table…?"
"Because some half-naked boy decided to prevent a half-naked girl from putting on her pants, threw her over his shoulder, and pin her to the table, covering her in whipped cream in the process. Does that scenario ring any bells?" she asked, slightly annoyed.
His only response to her agitation was lifting a hand to her face and getting some of the whipped cream on his finger. He popped it in his mouth and pulled out a clean digit, "Delicious. But no, it doesn't ring any bells. If I recall, this girl decided to see what would happen if she showed a poor, innocent boy her panties on 'accident'." He said simply, picking up a stray strawberry and biting into it.
She huffed. "It's not like said girl meant to show the boy her panties. It was an accident. She didn't have any clean pajamas left to wear, so she had to borrow one of the boy's shirts!" She grabbed the piece of waffle that fell out of his mouth and onto her face. She took a bite, and then continued. "Besides, it's not like the boy couldn't just reign in his hormones. I mean, geez, talk about ridiculous." She said, taking another bite of the waffle, a light blush dusting her cheeks at the direction this not-so-hypothetical conversation was going.
"Well that girl didn't put up much of a fight. She seemed to be enjoying it. So of course the boy wouldn't stop, he only wanted to make her happy after all." He snatched the waffle from her and took a bite out of it as well. "If that girl really wanted it to stop, she would have done something."
She casually reached backwards and scooped up some whipped cream into her hand, hiding it behind her back. Giving him an innocent look she asked, "You mean something like this?" and before he could blink se had pinned him to the table, straddling his waist. Then she took her hand and smothered it across his face, being careful not to get any in his eyes. "The girl would have thought that covering the boy's face in her favorite breakfast would have been hint enough that she was displeased with the course of events that had taken place." She said with a smile.
Gaara tried his best to keep his playful demeanor, the fact that he was even being submissive at all somewhat surprised him. "Well maybe she just didn't struggle enough. Besides, it's not the first time she's thrown something in his face." he pointed out, trying his best to wipe all the cream she had spread off. "And again if she didn't like it...she wouldn't be on top of him." he smirked, leaning his head back and laughing. It was odd, he was truly enjoying himself. Was this what it felt like to be carefree?
She gasped and smacked him on the chest playfully, glad that she had made him smile. "Well," she said, placing her hands beside his head and leaning over him, "Maybe she liked the attention." She finished with a smirk of her own.
"Did she now?" he arched what would be a brow. Snaking his hands around to her back and forcing her down, so her whole body was pressed against him.
A startled look entered her eyes at his action. But, she should have expected it by now. Smiling, she began to play with the hair at the base of his neck, not really surprised at its softness. "Perhaps." She leaned down and spoke into his ear. "But, there's one thing that she likes more." She whispered, somewhat seductively. She reached her other hand upwards, leaning even closer to his neck than before. Then she pulled back abruptly, another one of his waffles in her hand. She smiled down at his startled face. "She loves waffles!"
He sighed, rolling his eyes and then focusing back on her. His peaceful look slowly faded as he sat up, moving his hands behind her back once more so she wouldn't fall. They sat together, Sakura practically in his lap. "You should probably get ready...after all I assume you want to look nice..." he averted his gaze then, his depressing aura setting back in over them.
Sensing where he was going with this, it was her turn to roll her eyes. "Not really, I'm just gonna grab a quick shower to get all this whipped cream off me. Besides, you're the only one I've ever dressed up for." She said, giving him a pointed look. Before he could say anything she slid off the table. Bunching up the shirt again, she headed up the stairs, mentally preparing herself for what was to come.
He had wanted to ask what she had meant, but didn't get the chance to. Was she talking about her birthday? He simply sighed, looking around at the messy kitchen. That had definitely been the most interesting breakfast of his life. Getting off the table in one fluid motion, still covered in whipped cream, he cleaned the kitchen and the table of all the mess. It didn't take too long, but it was tedious work. Once he was finally done he headed upstairs and to his bathroom, showering all the sticky sweetness off his face and out of his hair. When he was out and dressed he attempted at drying his hair with his towel. He sighed, flicking his fingers through to try and make it look acceptable. He could feel himself slipping faster and faster into his bad mood the more he thought about the meeting with Sasuke. Gaara made his way down stairs and saw Sakura waiting for him in the living room, looking as she would any other day. "Ready?" he asked once he was beside her.
She nodded and pounded her fists together, "Let's do this," and in a swirl of sand she was now so accustomed to, they vanished.
When they reappeared, they were in a dark, damp hall with no light whatsoever. Sakura felt Gaara's hand grip her arm and lead her forward. "How do you know where you're going?" she complained, not wanting to accidentally run into something.
"Don't worry," he assured her. A small light came from the end of the hall and then they were in a small room, filled with water and a cage suspended from the floor.
Gaara stopped and stared up at the cage. Sakura followed his gaze and gasped. Sasuke was chained down, from head to toe. An arrogant cackle began resonating throughout the room. "Well Sabaku, back for mo-" the deep voice stopped, eyeing the pink haired woman angrily.
"What is she doing here?" Sasuke asked, directing his glare back at the Kazekage.
Gaara didn't even acknowledge the Uchiha's presence. He turned to Sakura and leaned down, placing a comforting hand on her cheek and whispering into her ear. "I will let you speak with him alone. When you are finished just come back down the hall, follow the wall and you will reach the other room in which I will await you."
Before she could object, he moved away from her and back into the dark hallway.
She watched him leave, until his form melted into the darkness. Turning slowly towards Sasuke, she kept her gaze on the ground. Here goes nothing. Pasting a strained smile on her face, she looked up at the caged Uchiha. "So….Sasuke…how are you?" she questioned awkwardly, not used to calling him without her normal suffix.
He seemed a bit surprised by her question, but before she could register it his face was back to its regular glare. "What do you mean how am I doing? Is it not obvious? I'm hanging from a fucking cage, that is hanging from the fucking ceiling!"
She stifled a giggle at his response. It seemed he had gotten easier to upset over the years. "Well I'm doing great. I have this wonderful, big bed, with soft, silky sheets and really fluffy pillows. It's like a dream. So tell me, how do you sleep at night?" she asked, teasing him.
Instead of rising to her bait he tried to remain calm. This was Sakura he was talking to. All he had to do was hurt her feelings, demolish her self-esteem, and she would leave him alone. "As annoying as ever Sakura. Tell me, have you actually improved any over the years? Every time I see you, all you can do is stand on the sidelines helplessly and watch as I fight Naruto."
His ploy began to work, until she remembered her many accomplishments over the years. She was Haruno Sakura. Member of Team Seven, lifelong friend to one Naruto Uzumaki and Uchiha Sasuke. Apprentice to the great Slug Sannin Tsunade, Fifth Hokage. And recent close friend and tamer of the great Sabaku no Gaara. She could demolish mountains with a flick of her wrist, and bring people back from the brink of death. Never had she heard of Sasuke doing anything so great. Resolve hardening, she glared at the smirking Uchiha.
"Shut up Sasuke. I didn't come here to be taunted by the likes of you." She barked out.
Onyx eyes widened a fraction at her words, smirk disappearing. There was something different about her. Usually she would look at the ground, apologize, and leave. His expression turned to one of boredom. "Then what did you come here for? To see the man you love before he dies? Please." He snorted, looking away from her. "Unless you are here to help me escape, I have no interest in talking to you."
Her face became red with rage. How dare he? After all these years, he was still the same self-centered, arrogant prick, only worse. It was time to test her acting skills once again. She stuck out her hip, and crossed her arms, gazing at the Uchiha as if he was stupid, giving off the impression that she was indifferent to his cruel words. "Actually, I came to say goodbye. So there you have it. Have a nice afterlife Sasuke. I wish you well, since we probably won't be seeing each other." Then she turned around and slowly made her way to the door.
Three.
Two.
One.
"…..Wait."
She suppressed a triumphant smile, and slowly turned back to face him, a delicate brow raised. "Yes?"
Now she was truly annoying him, but for reasons different than usual. "What happened to the Sakura I knew seven years ago? The one who would chase after me crying 'Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!'? I feel like I don't know you anymore." he asked, confusion swimming in his eyes.
She became annoyed at his impression of her thirteen year old self. "You never knew me Sasuke, only what you saw as me. But, in the end, all I can do is thank you."
His pale brow scrunched together out of confusion. "For what?"
She almost wanted to laugh at his expression, similar to the one Gaara had given her last night, and yet so different. Gaara's was cute, where as Sasuke's looked out of place. "For leaving. If you hadn't left, I would never have become stronger, or realized that I don't love you anymore."
He swiftly looked at her face, only to see honest truth residing there. Part of him was disappointed in her admission, because he had planned on using her love for him at some point or another, for his own means.
Taking his silence as a sign to continue, she did. "I mean, I still love you, but only as a teammate. I don't think I would ever be able to see you as anything more than that now."
He snorted and looked away from her once more. "Well that's a relief. Now I can sleep peacefully at night knowing that I'm about to die and you don't give a damn."
Ignoring the fact that he was manipulating her feelings once again, she took a small step towards him, arm outstretched. "You don't understand. I merely meant that-"
"I know what you meant Sakura." He said harshly. "Now if you don't mind, those who are going to be executed are usually granted a last request. Leave. Now."
"But Sasuke, I only-" she said, hating how desperate she sounded.
"I don't care about what you want, Haruno. Leave me in peace before I die. I would hate to go to the hangman's block annoyed at some silly girl who never grew up." That said, he turned his face away from her fully, hiding his triumphant smirk. Now she would leave him crying and feeling guilty. God she was so easy to screw with.
Lowering her arms, she began to walk towards the door, face a mask of stone. If he wanted to part on bad terms, then so be it. She wouldn't stoop to his level, or cry for him. She had vowed long ago never to shed tears over the stoic Uchiha ever again. "Goodbye Sasuke. I hope you find the peace you deserve in death." She said over her shoulder. She walked forward through the tunnel, wanting to see Gaara as soon as possible. Only his steady and calm presence would make her feel better now.
On the verge of smashing something, she picked up her pace, practically running. When she saw the redhead, she didn't even stop to talk to him, simply running into his arms. Holding him in a fierce hug, she buried her face in his shirt. "Take me home, before I go back there and kill the bastard myself." She mumbled.
Gaara laughed, a smirk playing across his face. "Don't tempt me Sakura." He told her, getting a small laugh in return from the woman. But he knew she was serious as well, and the next time she opened her eyes, they were in Gaara's room.
He let her fall back on his bed as she groaned. "So did you say what you needed to say?" he asked, watching her stretch out.
"Yeah." She sighed. "I just wish he actually listened."
"I see," he nodded and sat beside her, staring off at the wall. He leaned forward, wanting so badly to know what they had talked about. But he also didn't want to. "Do you want to be alone? Should I go get you something?" he asked, standing up again, not looking at her, afraid of the emotions he might see there.
Sensing his mood, she sighed. "Well, I guess I could go make lunch. We spent longer eating breakfast this morning than I thought we would." She said, a smile evident in her voice. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood. Walking up next to him, she put her hand on his tense shoulder. "Do you want anything in particular for lunch?" she asked.
"Nothing, I was just asking for you, Please allow me to get it for you if you're hungry." He eased her back down onto his bed and walked towards his door. He didn't want to tell her that it was him who really needed to be alone. He shut the door behind him and hurried towards the kitchen. He couldn't believe what he was feeling, or that he was feeling at all. Once he entered the kitchen he let out an angry yell and threw a punch at one of the cabinets. The wood cracked, bending in and splitting from the impact. Why had he let Sakura see Sasuke? She was probably telling that asshole how much she loved him and how hard she would try to convince him to let the Uchiha go.
He grabbed his head with one of his hands, trying to think clearly. He knew it didn't make sense, but the conspiracy kept rising inside him. That horrid question kept popping up. What if? He glanced back at the broken cabinet and noticed the red smeared on the wood. Great, he groaned aloud. He held up his hand and saw his newly bloodied knuckles.
Upstairs in the Kazekage's room, Sakura sat there staring at the door with a worried look on her face. Something was wrong with Gaara. She could sense it as he swiftly left the room. Getting off the bed once again, she began to walk down the hallway. That was when she heard a sound familiar to her ears. The sound of wood cracking. She ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, only to see Gaara with bloodied knuckles.
"Gaara!" she yelled, running up to him. She grabbed his hand and began to heal it. "What did you do that for?" she scolded. "If you wanted to know what Sasuke and I talked about so badly all you had to do was ask. Or, you could have Hinata ask you to ask me. Either way, it doesn't require you to damage the furniture or yourself." She said as she finished healing him. Emerald searched jade. "Is that what's bothering you?"
"No." he glared, not liking at all that he was that easily read. He pulled his hand away from her grasp, "I…saw a spider." He lied, really not wanting to fight with her. He didn't care that she loved the Uchiha, he didn't care. He kept repeating in his head. It doesn't matter, I don't care. I don't care…, his eyes were now shut tightly, concentration apparent on his face. If he was trying to look normal, he was failing…miserably. Damnit, he cursed, opening his eyes slowly. I care.
Trying not to laugh at him, for that wouldn't help matters at all, and knowing that he was lying to her, she turned away from him. "Okay. Well make sure you wipe up the spider guts. It's unsanitary." She said as she began to get out sandwich fixings. "Do you want ham or turkey on your sandwich?" she asked, getting out two plates. She knew he wanted to know, but she wasn't going to come out and tell him. He would have to suck up his damn pride and ask her.
To go along with his lie, he pulled out a rag and wiped up the 'spider guts'. He glared at her back, well aware of her little trap. Like hell was he going to give in, fortunately he didn't want to know more than he did. "I don't want anything to eat." He huffed, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. Deciding he was a bit hot, he quickly undid his shirt, throwing it in a nearby chair.
Gaara fell onto the couch and growled, he was so glad Sasuke was going to die. He was so sick of this crap and his stupid emo haircut. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest and turned on his side so he could stare at a decorative vase. His eyes trailed up the neck of the fine china and a scowl formed on his face. The flowers in the vase just happened to be cherry blossoms. Oh come on! Damnit Temari, Gaara's eye twitched. He turned his back to the flowers and stared at the fabric on the sofa. Oh yes, totally interesting.
She glared through the wall, directing her hateful thoughts towards the redhead in the living room. There was no way she was going to give in and just tell him, no matter how badly she wanted him to know that everything was alright. She finished making her ultimate ham, turkey, chicken, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, black pepper, mayo, ranch sandwich and put away the extra plate. Pouring herself a glass of water, she walked towards the dining room, passing the entrance to the living room on her way. Pausing mid-step, she backed up and saw Gaara staring at the couch. She rolled her eyes at him. He was being so childish! Deciding to be mean, she walked into the living room and plopped down in a chair across from where the redhead was laying. Ignoring his dark aura, she began to eat her sandwich happily.
His glare shifted to her the second she made contact with the chair, "What are you doing?" He asked, annoyance evident in his voice.
She swallowed and gave him an innocent look. "Eating. I would have thought that was obvious." She said, then took a drink of her water.
His patience began to wear thin. "I know that. I meant, why are you doing it in here?"
She shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I've just gotten used to eating with company, and would rather eat in here while you pout than in the dining room alone."
"I'm not pouting!" he yelled, sitting up quickly and then facing away from her. Now she was really making him angry. He didn't like this whole…emotion thing. "Whatever." He crossed his arms and then his legs, closing his eyes and pretending to meditate.
Her eye began to twitch. She was so close to punching the touchy redhead in the face it wasn't even funny. Realizing that she had half of her huge sandwich left, she stood and walked towards Gaara. Then she plopped the plate down in his lap. Meeting his angry glare with one of her own, she said, "Eat it, you need your strength." Then turned and made her way towards the kitchen, needing to get rid of some of her agitation through baking. Maybe she would make cheesecake this time.
Gaara growled, looking down at the sandwich. He dug through the ingredients, taking the pickles out before standing up on the couch. "I said I didn't want any!" he yelled childishly, throwing the pickles at her, making them stick in her hair before she got into the kitchen.
She turned swiftly, taking the pickles out and glaring at him. "Just eat the damn sandwich you moron! It's not healthy to skip a meal!" Stomping towards the kitchen, she growled in frustration. "God I need to bake something!" She threw away the offending pickles, and began to search for a pan to put the cheesecake in, muttering to herself about stupid redheads.
Gaara laughed maniacally, crossing his arms as he stood on the couch. "HAHA! I am lord of the living room, what I say is law! And I have single handedly defeated the pink harpy!" he let out another psychotic laugh. Emotions were definitely something he did not know how to control yet.
Without so much as a word from the kitchen, a large steak knife cam flying through the wall, aimed perfectly at his face. He dodged of course, but was still surprised at the strength behind it, causing the knife to fully embed itself in the wall behind him.
"You better eat that sandwich before I shove it down your throat! Or the pink harpy will come in there and dethrone the tyrant king!" he heard yelled from the kitchen.
"Oh yeah? Well then you're going to have to come in here wench and see if you can." He smirked, jumping off the couch and pulling the knife from the wall with a bit of difficulty. Once in his hand, he twirled it around his fingers expertly, watching the doorway. "Or is the pink harpy too scared to take on the tyrant king?"
Suddenly he heard the sound of something crashing, or breaking, he wasn't quite sure. This was followed by a feminine curse, and then silence.
Sakura just stood there in the middle of the kitchen, Gaara's words not even registering in her head. She had accidentally broken the cooking stone she was going to use to make the cheesecake, cutting her finger in the process. She stared at the blood seeping from her wound and sliding down her arm, sinking to the floor in the process. Looking at the mess around her, she felt the tears well up in her eyes. All she wanted was a cheesecake for Christ's sake! And that damnable redhead was in the living room playing some mythological game. The whole situation made her want to laugh and yell at them same time. Not knowing which one to choose, she sat there, bottom lip trembling, trying in vain to hold back her tears.
Back in the living room, Gaara's suspicion rose. An alarm was going off in his head, and so the redhead cautiously walked over to the kitchen. He peered through the doorway, dropping the knife instantly, causing it to hit the tiled floor with a clank. He was in the kitchen in an instant, sliding a bit on the floor as he kneeled in front of Sakura, taking her hand and pulling her to him. "Sakura, are you ok? What happened? You have to be more careful." The words rushed out, his face filled with worry.
Her watery eyes turned to his worried ones, and she gave him a small smile. "I was just killing a spider." She said, using his earlier lie.
It felt as if someone had shoved a kunai through his chest, right where his heart was. He moved her closer, so that she was pressed against him, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Gaara let out a heavy breath and buried his face in her pink hair. He didn't know what to say, his heart hurt, just like when he was betrayed by Yashamaru. His grip on her tightened, "Sakura…" he began, unable to find the words to express what he was trying to say to her. Only silence followed, but his grasp didn't falter.
She sniffed, tired of crying. "I just wanted to make a cheesecake. You know how I like to bake away my frustrations." She said into his chest, laughing slightly. She snuggled closer to him, shivering slightly. "You're always so warm." She sighed, content.
"It might be because my heart's beating so fast." He stated obliviously. "You know, pumping blood faster and making me hot."
Smiling, she pulled away from him slightly, so that she could see his face. "Actually, I think you're just naturally hot." She said, all previous grievances forgotten.
"You think so?" he pondered, "Maybe. It's probably because I live in the desert." He nodded, agreeing with his own statement. Gaara grabbed Sakura's face affectionately, pressing his forehead against hers. "Sakura…I'm alright with…not knowing what you and the Uchiha talked about."
She gazed into his jade orbs, becoming lost in their depths. Giving herself a mental shake, she decided to let him out of his misery. "He basically insulted my abilities as a shinobi, causing me to inform him that I only care for him as a teammate now. Then he accused me of not giving a damn about him, and said that as a man who was going to die, he 'didn't want to be annoyed with a silly girl who never grew up'." She quoted, making a face to mock the absent Uchiha. "In all honesty, I think he's the one who has some growing up to do. I even thanked him, you know, the way I told you I was going to? And then he decided to call me names."
She crossed her arms, wincing at the pain in her hand. Pulling it forward, she directed chakra to the wound and began to heal it. Watching her palm to make sure it healed correctly, she spoke once more. "You were right about him Gaara. He doesn't appreciate anything that he has." Looking back into his eyes, she admitted, "I'm glad that I found you. You're probably the best friend I've ever had, and one of the best people I know."
He stared at her wide eyed, it being the first time anyone had ever actually told him something like that. "But…I hurt you so much…I can't see why you would think that," he admitted, looking away from her at the broken stone all over the floor.
Her smile grew. "Yeah, but I destroy your house, so I think we're even." Becoming serious, she reached out with her newly healed hand and turned his face towards hers. "Gaara, the biggest difference between you and Sasuke is that you actually feel remorseful about your wrong-doings. Sasuke doesn't give a flying fart in space about what he does to others. You apologize when you hurt me. All I ever got from Sasuke was a 'Thank you', and then he left me stranded on a park bench." She gave him a tender look and stroked his cheek comfortingly. "You always have been, and always will be, the better man in my eyes, Mr. King of the Living Room." She finished, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
He tried to fight the smile forming on his face. It was really nice to hear that he was better than Sasuke. Of course, he already knew that, but it was still nice to hear, and for some reason he knew it was only good because it was coming from Sakura. "You know that you impress me," he said simply. "You're very strong…it's a little alarming, and you're…very…" he stopped, taking a deep breath, he didn't want her to freak out if he said this. "You are very beautiful Sakura, and you saved me…the only time I ever needed someone, and you and Naruto were there for me." He gave her a small smile, grabbing her wrist and giving her a firm tug. She tumbled into his lap, legs practically up in the air.
He stared down at her now, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "You…are very important to me Sakura. One of those people, as Naruto calls them, someone precious to me."
Her shocked expression left her face, her eyes softening. She had been told numerous times by Lee and Naruto that she was beautiful, but when Gaara said it, it made her heart soar with happiness. "You are one of my precious people as well Gaara. And don't worry, I will always be there to catch you when you fall. No matter if you think you need saving or not."
"Thank you Sakura," he said, brushing some of the hair from her face. "That actually means a lot. I promise…as long as I am able and as long as you wish it, I will be your shield."
Her smile widened. "Then I will be your sword."
"Don't you mean my hammer?" he smirked, leaning down and sticking his tongue out at her. "You do pulverize things after all."
She stuck her tongue out at him in return. "A sword is elegant and graceful, whereas a hammer is heavy and bulky."
"Touché, pink princess of all pastries." He laughed, moving back and looking at the mess. "Well, should we clean this up, head upstairs, and play king and queen of the bed?" Gaara smirked, his aura prideful as always.
Hope filled her eyes then. "You mean, I can sleep with you in your bed?"
"Well," Gaara grinned evilly, "That all depends on if you can win." He told her, standing up and dragging her with him. "And of course the first contest will be…whoever can get to my room faster." He released her quickly, shortly after sand surrounded him and he disappeared from the kitchen.
Without using her hands, she used a teleportation jutsu she had developed shortly before coming to Suna, appearing in Gaara's room seconds later. Looking around, she didn't see the redhead anywhere. She pulled her boots off quickly and flung herself into his bed. "I won!" she yelled triumphantly.
She could feel the grains of sand moving around her wrists and ankles. It materialized quickly, flinging her from the bed and onto the floor. "Oh I don't think so Sakura." Gaara laughed, standing triumphantly on the bed now.
She scrambled on the floor and stood up quickly. Pointing an accusing finger at him, she yelled "But I was here first! You weren't in the room!"
"Were you?" he questioned, a smirk creeping up his face. "How do you know I wasn't in here?"
Her brow scrunched in confusion. "Because I didn't see you anywhere in here…and I was on the bed first! So I should win!" she admonished, pointing to herself now.
"Technically…I was in this bed way before you." He gestured, kicking off his shoes and lowering into a familiar taijutsu pose. "Come on Sakura, or are you afraid you can't take on the king?" he taunted, beckoning her with his hand.
It wasn't that she didn't think she could win, having been trained especially in taijutsu, but she was so tired, even though it wasn't even that late in the day. Reaching behind her, she undid her kunai holster and let it fall to the floor. Once it was removed, she too, entered into a pose. Then, in an attempt to catch the redhead off guard, she ran towards him, and leapt towards the bed. "Prepare to meet your doom!" she yelled midair.
His smirk turned into a wicked grin, "Come on now." He tensed and then lunged forward, grabbing Sakura around the waist before she could do anything. They fell down on the bed together, bouncing high the first time and then settling. Gaara took the sheets and pulled them over her, trapping her in a silk cocoon.
"Don't make the queen rip your sheets! She will do it!" She said with a smile, struggling slightly. Sakura's yell was slightly muffled by the fabric, but her message got across nonetheless.
He kept the mass down and sighed, "If the queen rips the sheets then she won't sleep comfortably and it would make the king very unhappy. Because he really loves his sheets." He told her, releasing the sheets and letting her free.
She stopped squirming immediately. She sat up, happiness clear on her face. Untangling herself, she unclipped her tan skirt, and threw it on the floor. She unzipped her top, revealing a black tank top underneath. Without words, she straightened the sheets somewhat, and crawled underneath them. Looking over at the smirking redhead, she raised a brow at him. "Well? The queen refuses to sleep until her king is lying next to her and comfortable." She said, patting the space beside her.
"Is that so?" he laughed, leaning over her for a moment before joining her beneath the covers. "A king always obliges to his queen." He lay down and looked over at her as he pulled the sheets up.
Without asking permission, she scooted closer to him, snuggling up to his chest. "Goodnight Gaara." She sighed contentedly.
Suddenly his throat felt dry. Did he feel nervous? He was consciously going to sleep with Sakura, and this time she wasn't having an emotional breakdown. What did that mean? On instinct, he snaked his arm between hers and her body and pressed her front against his. "Goodnight Sakura…" he said softly, closing his eyes and leaning his head on hers. He could feel his heartbeat increase and his stomach tighten. That was really odd, and, as usual, he decided to ignore it.
It wasn't too long before the two were fast asleep.