Standard disclaimers apply. I'm just borrowing these characters for a little while.
Author's note: Kishimoto-sensei's plan is to fit the entire 4th Shinobi War Arc into a matter of days in the Naruto timeline, but I'm taking the liberty of extending it since war is never so quick and clean-cut. Events from the manga will be added, removed or shifted around. Please pardon my impudence.
Thanks to Just Spike for another great review - guys, don't feel pressured to leave long reviews! And to Mihzuki for helping me with a couple of typos. This is what happens when you fly solo without a beta.
At precisely seven o'clock the next morning, Sakura's internal body clock woke her up. Yet for the first time in a very long time, she did not feel the urge to kick herself into high gear, because her covers were so, so comfortable…
Wait.
Sakura's eyes flew open as the events from the previous night came rushing back to her all at once. It took her several moments to process that it was not the covers she was snuggling into, but the Gaara's robes. And the purring creature at her neck was not Harumi – it was Mr. Fluffy-kins.
I will not scream, I will not scream, I will not scream…
She willed herself to turn towards Gaara's bed, and was surprised to find it already neatly made. In fact, Gaara did not appear to be in the tent at all.
Shrugging off the robes, Sakura was about to head off behind the screen for her morning routines when she heard someone talking near the flap of the tent. She could not immediately place whom the voice belonged to, but Gaara's soft-spoken reply was unmistakable.
Somehow, Sakura's feet had carried her close to the tent's entrance, and it was just too tantalising to not eavesdrop.
"… where my spare cot went to."
"Now you know," replied Gaara.
"I thought it was really weird when Baki came to my tent last night asking me for it. I was doing some maintenance work for Crow on it. I had to clean it up really quickly for him because he said it was 'very important' that he had my spare cot there and then." There was a pause, "And you're telling me that you have Sakura sleeping on it right now?"
Crow… that means that the cot came from…
"Kankurou, you cannot honestly tell me that your puppet needs that cot more than my medic."
"No, but what I can't understand is why does she have to move into your tent with you. Haven't you heard all the gossip already? I'm starting to wonder if I should believe in them as well."
"You wish to know why she can't use her own tent?" There was a brief silence during which Kankurou presumably nodded. "See for yourself."
"Ok, I will."
Kankurou's footsteps moved away from the tent entrance and in the direction of Sakura's tent, and Sakura flinched internally, knowing just what was about to happen.
"Son of a…!"
Whatever else Kankurou was going to say was cut off by a tremendous crash, followed by the sound of a ton of paper and hardcovers hitting fabric and floor.
Kankurou's colourful cursing that came soon after was yelled out in two different Sunan dialects, included three forms of less-than-tasteful body functions, and invoked four generations of Gaara's ancestors.
Her precious medical tomes at stake, Sakura came rushing out of the tent. Gaara appeared unsurprised to see her, although he did raise an invisible eyebrow at her slightly rumpled appearance.
"Kankurou, you better not destroy any of my books!"
Sakura marched up to the tent and pulled back the flap, only to uncover a stunned-looking brunet half-mauled by some of her heaviest books. With a huff, she reached down, grabbed him by the collar with both hands, and heaved him out of her tent.
Kankurou landed with a dull thump at Gaara's feet while Sakura dusted her hands off, the anger in her eyes unmistakable.
"You're right, Gaara – that tent is unlivable," Kankurou spoke around a mouthful of dust and random debris.
Gaara's sand flowed around Kankurou and lifted his older brother back up to his feet. By then, Sakura had returned to stand by her charge's side, still looking a little cross. The puppet master looked from her, and back to Gaara.
"You know, this is really going to fuel the rumours about the two of you. Haven't you heard of the 'special services' private nurses provide to the rich lords and…"
"We know," Gaara and Sakura chimed simultaneously. This was seriously getting old fast.
Kankurou blinked, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Well, if you two are not bothered by it, I suppose I shouldn't interfere."
Then with a positively lecherous grin as he elbowed Gaara playfully, Kankurou quipped, "You know, the costume-maker for my puppets carries a line of sex-kitten nurse outfits. I could ask him ab… whoa, whoa, WHOA! Is that your sand around my ankles?"
By using his sand to dangle his brother upside-down like a piece of meat and carrying him back to his own tent, Gaara had unknowingly saved him from a near-death experience at Sakura's hands, judging from the way she had her fists clenched.
"Kankurou-san wasn't like this when we met two years ago," was all Sakura could say about the entire encounter.
"People change," Gaara then deliberately swept his eyes over her body from head to toe, "And you should, too. You are accompanying me to a war council meeting in less than an hour's time"
With a squeak of realisation, Sakura threw her arms around herself protectively and darted back into Gaara's tent to slip into more shinobi-approriate clothings. After all it would not do to have the Regimental Leader's personal medic appear in front of the Kages and senior counsel members in just an old t-shirt and her shinobi pants.
Throughout the meeting, although she was under Gaara's direct command, she made a conscious decision to stand by the Hokage's seat together with Shikaku and Inoichi. If Gaara was bothered by her decision, it didn't show on his face at all.
Then again, Gaara had always been a hard person to read.
Nobody took any notes or minutes during the meeting – it might fall into the wrong hands. The Kages and their military specialists were finalising the details for their first offensive, a large map of the Five Great Countries taking centre place on the table that they were seated around.
It was a completely foreign feeling to Sakura – discussing military tactics and strategies for an impending all-out war against the Akatsuki in such subdued tones. They might have been talking about what to have for lunch, except for the tension in the room; it was thick enough to cut with a knife.
The five Kages rose from their seats the moment their dialogue concluded. Sakura was about to head towards Gaara when she was stopped by Tsunade's hand on her shoulder.
"Shishou?"
Tsunade's expression was grim, "Sakura, I know you are officially Gaara's personal medic, but he is also the 4th Division Commander – a Division that consists of long-ranged combat specialists. You, on the other hand, are a close-range fighter. Gaara may decide to deploy you to a different Division for overall effectiveness; I cannot imagine him keeping a medic by his side at all times. You are a very powerful medic and fighter, so you may find yourself sent on some of the most dangerous missions."
"Shishou, what are you trying to say?" Sakura's brows knitted in confusion.
She nearly squeaked in surprise when Tsunade enveloped her in a crushing, yet somehow motherly hug.
"I'm saying, stay safe, Sakura."
Surprised but touched by Tsunade's concern, Sakura looped her arms around her teacher's neck and returned the embrace just as fiercely.
"I promise, shishou."
For the first time, the war felt real.
Gaara, who was accompanied by Baki and his siblings, paused to take in the scene. He caught the look that Tsunade was throwing his way.
Make sure my Sakura stays safe.
He tilted his head in the slightest of acknowledgement, and Tsunade finally released Sakura from her arms. Sakura then made her way back to Gaara, the back of her left hand brushing her eyes as she did so.
Gaara did not comment on her actions, simply nodding to Sakura for her to follow after him.
The small group continued to walk in silence. It was Gaara who first spoke up as they walked out into the sunlight.
"As long as you stay by my side, Sakura, I will stop at nothing to protect you. This much I can promise you."
If the group was silent before, they were now deathly silent.
It took Gaara a second to realise that everyone had stopped walking but him.
Turning around, he was met with expressions ranging from disbelief to outright shock. He furrowed his brows, unable to comprehend what exactly it was that he said which made them turn into statues.
"Kazekage-sama," Baki was the first to break the silence, "Under the correct circumstances, that would have been taken for a marriage proposal."
Gaara cast a glance at a considerably pale-faced Sakura. He certainly did not see what all the fuss was about, and he must certainly did not see how any misunderstandings could arise from his words.
"Hokage-sama has entrusted me with her apprentice. It would be nothing short of a political disaster if I let anything happen to her," Gaara smoothly explained.
"Way to make a woman feel special, Gaara," Temari frowned.
Sakura, though, looked so relieved that Gaara had the strangest feeling that he should be feeling insulted.
Kankurou grinned, "Too bad, Gaara – a Konoha bride will do wonders for our alliance."
"You guys, I am right here," growled Sakura.
"And we will still be here tomorrow if we don't continue walking," came Gaara's reply.
Murdering the Kazekage would start an international incident, so Sakura settled for 'forgetting' to add honey to Gaara's herbal tea that night.