Everyone, thank you very much for comments, favs and follows! Sorry I didn't update earlier but the real life went hard on me, recently.

This chapter wasn't betaread. Let me know if you find any mistakes.

Story image by tariah23 . deviantart . com

I have her permission to use it.

Since I've been complimented a few times on keeping Gaara's character in canon, I'd like to say it's quite easy because I like him just the way Kishimoto had created him. For that, I don't feel like changing him into a playboy or a kinky slave owner or a little girlish submissive uke (no offence, yaoi lovers XD) or something like that. I like Gaara when he is Gaara - simple as that :)

Now, the warning.

This chapter contains adult themes. You know what it means, right? Nudity, sexual touch, and so on, with all the awkwardness normal first-time sex most often includes.

Plus, it's a pairing many people consider implausible and disgusting. (LOL, I simply had to add this part, just for fun! XD)

!YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! Still sure you're want to read it?

Enjoy then.

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Alive And Victorious

Chapter 19. Like none other (part 1)

The deep silence reigned over Sunagakure, as the majority of the villagers were sleeping soundly. The daily activities has long diminished, until only several guards and messengers were striding down the village's roads and lanes.

A few ANBU ninjas were lurking in the darkness, scattered around the building the young Kazekage had entered not so long ago. Since they didn't expect him to go out before the dawn, they relaxed slightly, only hoping they would also have a chance for a goodbye kiss - or even more than a kiss, if they would be lucky - from the women they loved.

In the building, on the last floor, the light was dim, but still bright enough to distinguish two shadows, clinging to each other tightly. If someone would go there, they would unmistakably recognize the Kazekage and his girlfriend, kissing and hugging each other as if their life depended on it, but at this hour the chance of any intrusion was close to none. Nobody was there to witness the muffled sighs and moans, the quiet whispers and the rustling of clothes, as the silence and privacy steadily encouraged the couple to indulge their senses, deeper and deeper.

Eventually, one of the shadows moved back, shivering. It was the girl; her tousled hair and large onyx eyes, now dazed and blurry, could be distinguished even in the half-light. Wordlessly, she pushed her hand inside her flak jacket, and pulled out the key. It took her the considerable amount of time to open the door, but she managed to do that, eventually. Her boyfriend didn't move, watching her as she went inside and held the door open for him. He looked like he simply didn't know what to do, so the girl swept her hair behind her ear with a nervous gesture, and waved her hand softly, inviting him in.

Reluctantly, he stepped inside, and the girl shut the door without making any noise. They stood still for a few minutes, before Matsuri unfastened her pouch, and carefully put it away. Without looking at the redhead, she took off the forearm protectors, and untied the hitai-ate from her neck.

Gaara stared at her, utterly confused. It seemed Matsuri was willing to go that far; he couldn't be mistaken. But still, it was so hard to believe, that it erased his usual confidence and he stood there, frozen still and speechless, like a complete fool.

The brunette glanced at him briefly, and vaguely pointed with her hand in his general direction.

"Would you like to, um, take it off?" she asked shyly, and he realized she had meant the gourd, which was still strapped to his back.

Since he didn't feel like troubling himself with the buckles and straps, he simply let the gourd turn into sand. The grains swirled around him, as he sent them to the corner of the room, near the door, where they reshaped. Matsuri didn't wait for him to finish. She approached the table and filled two glasses with the water, taking a few gulps before she settled herself on the chair and took off her stockings and sandals, the action taking forever due to her shaking hands. Only then, she rose to a standing position and looked at the redhead with the faint, timid smile, her gaze assessing him carefully.

Gaara stepped up closer, taking her hands in his. Even if he had seen couples making sex before, it wasn't of any help to him, actually. Theoretically, he knew what he was supposed to do, but he was still concerned he could do something wrong, make a mistake somehow. True, that he didn't do anything wrong until now, but what they've been doing before was basically an overture. This night, they were most likely going to complete the act, and even if he felt heated at the thought, it didn't help him to get rid of the doubts.

Matsuri giggled quietly and he blinked, surprised and wary. The girl looked him in the eye and lowered her gaze. His gaze followed and he immediately found out what it was that made her laugh. She was looking at their joined palms, and Gaara realized his hands were trembling, just like hers. The two glanced at each other tenderly, before they embraced.

"I need to take a shower first," the redhead whispered, brushing his lips against his girlfriend's hair. The smooth wisps tickled his skin when she nodded.

"Of course," she whispered back. "Me too."

They stood still for a good while, before she withdrew. Gaara took a towel she had offered and disappeared behind the bathroom door. Soon, the sound of the water running could be heard, and Matsuri inhaled deeply, pressing her hands against her flaring cheeks.

Calm down, she thought to herself. Easy, easy, easyeasyeasy-

It was hopeless. She was everything but easy, now.

The images her imagination was producing attempted to flood her consciousness but she refused any of them to haunt her. Mechanically, she made the bed, briefly hiding her face in her favourite peach-coloured sheets. The fabric was smooth and cool, and she exhaled heavily into it, catching the feeble scent of an olive flower. Once she was done, she carefully lowered the blinds and lit the night lamp. After switching the ceiling light off, the warm half-light filled the room, and the girl realized that she didn't hear the water running anymore. Swallowing nervously, she turned her back to the bathroom door and approached the table, pretending to drink the water. Her heart hammered so wildly that she could barely hear the door opening. Screwing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath.

On the count of three, she said to herself, gripping the glass tightly before she turned around. One, two, three!

Not that she hadn't seen shirtless guys before. Of course she did. But this time, it was different. This time, it was not a random bare chested guy she had seen by accident, or a patient being treated during the medical ninjutsu training.

This time, it was her precious redhead standing right before her, and wearing only the towel wrapped around his hips. The sight made her stomach flip, as the warmth gradually overcame her cheeks, regardless of her efforts not to look flustered.

Careful to keep her eyes upon his face, Matsuri sipped the water and put the glass aside, smiling weakly.

"I suppose it's my turn, now," she said in a hushed voice, and Gaara only nodded in a response. "I'll be back in no time," she added. "Make yourself at home."

Once she entered the bathroom, the redhead carefully folded his clothes and put them on the chair. He took another towel from where Matsuri kept them, and unwrapped the wet fabric from his hips. Even if he was going to get rid of it soon, he still preferred not to be stark naked when his girlfriend would have exited the bathroom. After that, he sat down on the edge of the bed, musing over the consequences of what they were going to do.

It was common for a kunoichi who didn't want to have a baby to take the particular mix of herbs. Every average medic nin could make it up. However, Matsuri did not start taking it, yet she invited him in, her actions telling him that she wanted more than only kissing and holding hands. It was rather hard to believe Matsuri would be so reckless. Apparently, she was ready to face the consequences, whatever they might be. Gaara wondered if he was ready for it, either, but he quickly dismissed the pointless thought. Ready or not, both of them had obviously succumbed to the primary need to take the chance of creating a new life before they would meet their end. Of course, the logical part of his mind refused to believe the Akatsuki could win, but there was still a chance that the malicious organization would actually defeat the Alliance-

The sound of the door opening interrupted his musings, and the remembrance of the war and his other responsibilities swiftly abandoned his mind, as he watched Matsuri standing in the doorway. Only the towel shielded her from his eyes, and Gaara suddenly swallowed, as their gazes met and Matsuri instinctively gripped the fabric. The redhead slowly rose to a standing position, and the girl smiled on him with a small, bashful smile, its sweetness absolutely captivating to him, before she switched the bathroom lights off, and closed the door. After that, she turned to him once more and swept her hair behind her ear again. They looked at each other in silence, before they approached each other tentatively. With a sigh, Matsuri cuddled to him, for the first time pressing her cheek not against his robe nor coat, but against his warm skin. She closed her eyes, as his heart thudded harder, just like her own.

It didn't take him too long to draw back gently, and the nervousness returned to Matsuri, only increased tenfold. Gaara put his slightly trembling hands on her shoulders, and she gulped, taking the deep breath.

"You do it," she whispered, her eyes desperately sticking to his.

The redhead slid his palms down her arms and grabbed the edge of the towel, which was wrapped around her slender frame. Matsuri lifted her hands a bit, while he pulled the fabric and let it go. The towel rustled quietly as it swiftly fell on the floor, and the girl clenched her fists to control the assaulting urge to cover herself with her hands. Her face started burning, slightly at first. Gaara's gaze was still connected to hers, while he unwrapped the soft cloth from his hips and simply let it fall. Taking her hands in his, he squeezed them reassuringly, even though he was embarrassed, too. Matsuri responded with a quick, shaky smile, bracing up for the inevitable.

She didn't know what was more flustering - his gaze upon her, fascinated and kind of ravenous, or her own reaction to his nudity. She was fascinated, either, to put it mildly. The sight was like none other, and she found it compelling and perplexing at the same time.

His skin was milky and flawless, as if it belonged to a girl. She couldn't see any disfigurements, except for the star-shaped scar right below his left collar-bone. Even if short and slender, he was still nicely built, and looked really good in the warm half-light.

„You are so beautiful, Matsuri," the redhead whispered hoarsely, causing an onslaught of heat overcome his girlfriend's face and neck.

„You look very good, too," she uttered in a tiny voice, thinking to herself that it was quite an understatement. He looked so good to her, so absolutely fantastic, that she wouldn't hesitate to swear he was the most gorgeous man she had ever met.

Gaara was slightly baffled by her words. He wondered if she had possibly spoken them because she thought it was appropriate, giving the circumstances. As usual, his first instinct was to search for the confirmation of her words in her eyes, since he had learnt already that her eyes couldn't lie.

He released Matsuri's hand and raised her chin with his fingers. She blinked, her gaze unfocused, before she slowly recovered from a daze. Once their eyes met, it only seemed natural that he leant in and captured her lips with a tentative kiss.

The responsive gasp, which tore out from her throat in a response to the caress, made Gaara's head spin. He placed his hands upon Matsuri's bare back, and drew her close, until he could feel the soft curves pressing against his body, just like many times before. Only this time, nothing stood between them. There was only skin brushing against skin, and the sensation of it, even if completely unfamiliar to him, was simply amazing.

The redhead knew it would be better to proceed rather slowly. They were so new to this, inexperienced and afraid of making a mistake. But still, the mounting need had to find a way to express itself before it would burn him from the inside, so he deepened the kiss, hugging his girlfriend even tighter.

Matsuri sighed and moaned, the sound of it instantly heating up his already eager libido. He shifted his palms up and down her back, while his tongue danced with hers, impatient to taste even more of her temptingly soft skin. Pressing against Matsuri's body with his own, he gently pushed her towards the bed, and she let out the small, surprised gasp, yielding to the wordless demand.

Step by step, they approached the edge of the bed without breaking the embrace. Gaara could feel Matsuri was shaking slightly, and her whimpers were most likely an expression of arousal just as much as of timidity. He was apprehensive, either. His deepest fear was still vivid, after all, the fear of being rejected at the time of his biggest vulnerability, even if he knew that this time he wouldn't be rejected, definitely.

Matsuri could feel his momentary hesitation. Breaking the kiss, she moved away a little and glanced at him diffidently.

"Are you afraid?" she asked in a quiet whisper, her voice serious and tender, and the redhead gave the quick, short nod, reluctantly admitting what he would rather keep to himself. Matsuri sat down, tugging him along with her, before she spoke again. "Me too," she said with a weak smile, which swiftly disappeared when Gaara put his palms upon her shoulders and gently pushed her down. The girl complied, swallowing, and the emotional turmoil within her increased, interfering with her attempts to identify the source of the trepidation, until she remembered one of the psychological trainings she had undergone several months before, the words of an instructor in particular.

The biggest fear humans can experience is the fear of the unknown.

She repeated those words a few times in her mind, and they sounded so right. That was what she exactly feared in this situation - entering the land where she had never been before. What was even worse, the reason was not of any help there, since she could rely on her instincts only.

As a ninja, she had to listen to her instincts - her intuition - quite often. However, whatever she would have learnt that way, had been always filtered through her logical judgment, since she had to keep her calm during the mission. Emotions were unnecessary there, but now... she was anything but strong, overwhelming emotions.

Gaara didn't seem to notice her fears, or maybe just ignored them, as he knelt down next to her. Matsuri stared at the ceiling, instinctively clenching her fists in anticipation. Easy, Matsuri, easy, just keep breathing...

"You're trembling," he remarked calmly, and the corners of her lips quivered, trying to form a faint smile, which she knew was rather unconvincing. The redhead scrutinized her face and reached for her, causing her flinch lightly at the airy touch of his fingertips on her collar-bone, while he stroked the skin slowly, uncertainly. After a few minutes, his hand travelled down, and he hesitated only for a second before his palm gently cupped her breast, the contact eliciting a nervous sigh from them both. Even if he didn't move his hand at first, the warmth of his skin was enough to make her nipples harden. The kunoichi bit her lip as he kneaded the soft, resilient flesh ever so slightly, before he shifted his palm to brush the small nub with his thumb. The feeling was like none other, and Matsuri sucked the rapid breath through the clenched teeth. Regardless of her will, her body arched eagerly as if inviting him to continue, and he did. Breathing heavily, he repeated the caress again and again, apparently taking a great delight in discovering the new ways to please her. Eventually, the girl began to writhe fervently, whimpering, and only then he dared to forsake the alluring softness of the twin mounds and move down her sides and stomach, his fingers never leaving her smooth skin until they reached the dark triangle of curls down her abdomen.

By then, Matsuri partly recovered from the state of the passionate giddiness, and blinked, tensing up a little. The redhead watched her meticulously, as the pads of his fingers played with the soft hair, impatient to learn the enticing secrets it kept hidden. Matsuri glanced at him uncertainly, catching his eyes momentarily before he returned to staring at her naked body. Judging by his gaze darkened by lust and other bodily reactions, he was more than willing to continue, so the girl drew in the deep, shaky breath, trying to relax. She trusted him, no doubt about that, but it still was her very first journey together with him. Till now, it was always her and her alone, her own hand and her own fingers doing wonders between her legs, and even if she tried to imagine many times before how it would feel if he touched her in this manner, the reality of their intimate embrace was completely different than her fantasies. Oddly enough, the dream she had once had gave her the best recognition. Its details had already started to come into blur in her memory, but she could still remember the erotic awakening the dream had caused. Now, she felt as if she was experiencing this kind of awakening again, with the same trepidation haunting her.

Matsuri glimpsed at Gaara again, and noticed that he was observing her. From his expression she could tell that he was aware there was some kind of restlessness rising within her, and he waited for her to either share it with him or dispel it by herself. Taking a shallow, nervous breath, she gingerly parted her legs, and gasped when his fingers followed immediately, just as if he was only waiting for the smallest sign to further.

The redhead felt dizzy and licked his dry lips, as his fingertips slid down the folds of what felt like the hot, wet silk. The sensation was like none other, and his heart pounded harder still, while the tension slowly disappeared from Matsuri's features, replaced by what he couldn't actually identify with his senses muffled by the increasing passion. However, he couldn't miss the quaking, which suddenly went through her body, and he stopped stroking her, whispering to her in a low, hoarse murmur.

"Where?"

The girl turned her head aside with a strange expression, her chest still rising and falling rapidly. Gaara waited for the reply, and leant forward, eventually, when he got none.

"Matsuri, show me," he insisted quietly, in the same time gliding the pads of his fingers up and down the slick wetness. When he brushed the desired spot, Matsuri flinched again, her fists clenching in a tardy motion as her muscles visibly stiffened. He didn't need any other confirmation; everything was written all over her face, and her beautiful body.

"Like that?" he whispered, and she only moaned in a response, with her head lolled back into the sheets.

The sight was like none other, and the redhead watched his girlfriend hungrily, when she thrashed wildly, crying and whimpering. Gradually increasing the pace, he was rewarded with his name tumbling off her lips. He had never heard his own name being uttered in such a voice, tender and yearning, loving and possessive, and he immediately wished she would say it again, while the erotic sparks her every moan was lighting down his lower abdomen threatened to make him explode at any time.

Suddenly, Matsuri's body arched and she locked her thighs around his hand, considerably hampering his movements. Before he could react in any way, the girl screwed her eyes shut and gave the long, throaty groan, which promptly turned into scream, almost sending Gaara over the edge together with her. She was so hot that it practically burned, and he couldn't resist the urge to penetrate the very centre of the tantalizing heat.

The tremors still didn't leave her body but the unexpected intrusion made Matsuri's eyes snap open. The redhead withdrew his hand quickly, swallowing, and he didn't know if the faint sigh she gave was the sign of relief or rather disappointment. Then, the wariness flickered over her features, while she turned her head aside with a frown. Gaara looked in that direction, and immediately noticed what snatched Matsuri's attention. From his gourd, the thin coils of sand started running. He was so accustomed to its presence that he didn't mind it any longer, but Matsuri was probably surprised.

The girl rested on her elbows, and watched the sand trickling down onto the floor.

"Gaara, what are you doing?" she panted, still not fully recovered from the sweetest oblivion.

"It's not me," the redhead tried to explain, feeling strangely tongue-tied at the moment. "It always reacts this way—"

Matsuri snapped her gaze at him, and inhaled sharply.

"What do you mean by 'always'?" she breathed. "Have you... have you done it before?"

Gaara averted his eyes, angry at himself with that rather unfortunate choice of words, and definitely unwilling to go into details. However, Matsuri's shocked expression forced him to clarify the matter.

"I have not," he replied firmly, careful to keep his voice as matter-of-fact as he could. "However, as you surely remember, my sand is strongly charged with my chakra and every time I'm—I'm... agitated, it reacts this way to my... emotions."

Giving the current circumstances, it might be weird he couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye after revealing this little tidbit of what he'd been occasionally doing in private. The girl stared at him with her mouth slightly open and her brow furrowed, before the realization dawned on her.

"Oh... I see..." she muttered in a tiny voice, as she quickly dropped her gaze. Her cheeks were still reddened from the recent elation but now the blush had noticeably deepened. "Um, I'm sorry... sorry that I asked..."

He didn't answer, and she shot a glance at him. He was still looking away, and there was a fair amount of embarrassment and tension recognizable in his blank expression and tense shoulders. Matsuri cursed herself inwardly for ruining the mood, but it was admittedly Gaara's fault, either, wasn't it?

The girl slowly rolled to her side and grasped his hand, smiling uncertainly when he peeked at her.

"You know..." she began, squeezing his palm for reassurance. "If it was my sand, it would be probably floating everywhere by now..."

Gaara scanned her face, still looking impassive, and the kunoichi pushed from the mattress, shifting aside so she would sit up face to face with him. Her heart hammered against her ribs, as she leant in and closed her eyes, putting a long, delicate kiss on his cheek.

"You're still trembling," the young Kazekage murmured into her ear. "Are you cold?"

Matsuri shook her head, and gulped when Gaara gently nibbled at her earlobe.

"Just ignore it," she whispered, turning her head so they could kiss. "It can't be helped..."

Whatever Gaara was going to reply, mingled into their uneven breaths, as they returned to the sensual exploration of each other's mouths. Without breaking the kiss, Matsuri placed her outstretched palm against Gaara's chest, just above his thumping heart. The redhead held his breath for a second, obviously surprised, so she simply let her hand rest there, as it was rising and falling in the rhythm of his breathing. Only when he grew accustomed to her touch, she decided to move back a little. Gaara didn't seem to have any objections but he didn't let her completely go, pressing his forehead against hers. Matsuri shifted her hand a bit, her fingertips brushing against the scar, before she moved down gingerly. What am I supposed to do? she asked herself, the momentary panic overwhelming her as she stroked his stomach, her index finger drawing small circles around his navel. And how? I'm just... I'm...

Lifting her hand a bit, she let it hover just above her destination.

"Gaara, help me," she murmured quietly, and he pressed against the back of her palm with his hand. At his wordless insistence, her fingers slowly locked around him, and her stomach flipped since the feeling was like none other. The skin under her fingers was soft yet the inside was everything but soft, as she moved her hand tentatively, feeling the outstanding veins under the sensitive pads of her fingers. Gaara grunted quietly when she repeated the action, and tightened his grip around her palm. Matsuri glanced at him, and was completely enthralled by his dazed expression. Unable to take her eyes off his face, she watched his half-lidded eyes and parted lips, as he apparently derived the utter pleasure from her initially awkward ministrations. It didn't take her long to learn how to establish the right rhythm, and the redhead released her hand soon, throwing his head back as he panted and moaned. The heat coming from his body seemed to be almost unbearable, and Matsuri licked her dry lips, as she steadily quickened the pace.

"Like that?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Harder—" he managed to stutter, and the girl immediately complied with his request. Suddenly, he sucked the sharp breath through his teeth, the powerful shiver going down his body, followed by the low moan, which sent erotic tingles up and down Matsuri's spine. The girl gasped in surprise when the hot, thick liquid spilled down her fingers and the redhead collapsed on the sheets, obviously exhausted. The kunoichi looked at his stomach with fascination, unable to resist the temptation of trailing her fingers along the white, cream-like streaks, and Gaara's eyes flickered open at the gentle touch.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, his words barely intelligible. "I should have warned you..."

Matsuri frowned since she couldn't quite understand why he apologized. Was she supposed to warn him, either?

"That's alright," she said in a hushed voice, before she glanced at him uncertainly. "Um, I think I'll better bring the towel..."

Gaara raised his hand and pressed his forearm against his closed eyes.

"Thank you," he murmured wearily, since he felt completely incapable at the moment. The mattress bent slightly when Matsuri shifted her weight towards the edge of the bed, and soon the sound of the water running could be heard. The redhead rested motionless, still shielding his eyes, struck by the intensity of his recent experience. He would have never thought Matsuri's touch would make so much difference.

The light footsteps approaching the bed interrupted his thoughts, and Matsuri spoke to him in a quiet voice.

"Here you are."

He reached for the damp fabric, and began to clean himself, awkwardly at first. The girl didn't wait for him to finish as she went away, tripping towards the counter.

"Want some water?" she inquired quietly, pouring the full glass before she would drink the liquid greedily. Gaara tried to swallow and realized that his mouth was actually dry as the desert, so he nodded, his eyes never leaving Matsuri's slender form as she stepped up closer and handed him another glass.

"Thank you," he muttered, and sipped the water, reveling in the refreshing sensation. The girl settled herself on the mattress and crawled towards him, before she lay down next to him, resting on her side. Propping herself on her elbow, she drew her hair away from her face and looked at him while he drank the water.

Gaara glanced at her from the corner of his eye, unable to admit even to himself that he was completely enslaved at the moment. Matsuri's expression was utterly serene; her eyes were shining like never before, and the lovely blush adorned her beautiful face as she gazed at him with unconcealed affection. The redhead put the empty glass on the floor near the bed, before he rolled to his side, watching his most precious person, who furrowed suspiciously.

"Stop staring," Matsuri suddenly demanded, and he blinked with astonishment.

"I'm not staring," he contradicted.

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not staring. I'm just looking."

"There's a difference between looking and staring."

"And where exactly that difference lies?"

Matsuri glared at him.

"Don't tell me you don't know the difference between looking at someone and staring at them."

"Okay, I do," he said, defeated and unwilling to argue at the moment, even if he usually cherished their little skirmishes, albeit secretly. "And what if I'm actually staring?"

"I'm telling you to stop."

"I can't," he replied with a shrug. "Besides, I don't want to."

To his bewilderment, Matsuri looked completely flustered by his statement. She averted her eyes and the challenging smirk swiftly vanished from her lips.

"All... right," she said acquiescently, and cuddled closer to him, hiding her face in his shoulder. He snared her waist with his arm, brushing his fingers against her back. Nuzzling at the top of her head, he wallowed in the afterglow, while Matsuri's breath warmed his chest as she yawned.

The end of chapter 19 part 1.

The next chapter: Like none other (part 2)

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A/N.

If my account would ever be closed or this story would be deleted by staff, you can find me at AO3. The link is in my profile.