‘The Monster’s Weakness’
A Gaara/Sakura Fan Story
Chapter Sixteen: Another Night With Him

   Sakura found Mira standing next to the koi fountain, her dark eyes searching the crowd for her pink-haired friend. Sakura had quickly told the other girl that she had thought to have seen an old friend, but had been mistaken, so the questioning ended and the shopping began again. Sakura had not remembered a whole lot from the experience, just that she had decided to buy Gaara a panda bear, similar to the one he had won her during the festival, only with a birthday card attached to its belly between its paws. She had scribbled a hasty, “love, Sakura” at the bottom, trying to write it down before Mira could catch her and tease. Then the shop keeper had wrapped the gift into a decorative bag with red ribbons.
   Mira had constantly talked all the way up to the Kazekage mansion, where she still continued to chatter on and on about things that Sakura was only half aware of. Sakura had toned her out for the most part. Her mind was swimming with the possibility that Sasuke had come back for her. Why else would he be in Suna? For a mission? For an errand? To assassinate the Kazekage? Sakura shuddered at her last implication, and drove that thought clean out of her head. If he really was good, he wouldn’t be thinking along those lines again, would he? Certainly not for revenge, she hoped. It would be just like Sasuke, to come here to avenge a battle from long ago.
   ‘Sakura-sama!’ said Mira impatiently, putting both hands on her hips. ‘Are you even listening to me anymore?’ She smirked. ‘Are you daydreaming about … him?’
   ‘No!’ snapped Sakura, a little more angry than she had intended to sound. ‘I mean … no, I am not. I was just wondering about … supper.’
   ‘Supper?’ questioned a confused Mira, raising both eyebrows. ‘Why are you thinking about supper when you’re dating the Kazekage!’
   Sakura flushed and looked around, scanning the area for people who might be eavesdropping on them. She glared at Mira.
   ‘I am not … dating … the Kazekage!’ she hissed in a low voice. ‘Now, stop saying things like that, and don’t … please don’t … spread a rumour around town.’
   Mira sighed. ‘Fine.’ she promised, a drag in her voice. ‘I won’t.’ She grinned artfully at Sakura. ‘So, hurry up and give that to him! I’m sure he’ll thank you with a great, big -’
   ‘Shut up!’ barked Sakura, heat rising up across her face. She quickly darted away from the giggling Mira, leaving her outside the front entrance of the Kazekage mansion, and opening the door to dash inside before another taunt was thrown. She locked the door behind her, securing the premises from the medical ninja’s horrid words of discomfort. Sakura sighed when she saw that no one, not even the Sand guards, were in the building at the moment. She gripped her present with both hands, arms tightly wrapped around the parcel, between heading up the long stairway to her room.
   It was unusually quiet in the Kazekage house this evening. Temari and Kankuro must have been out, otherwise she might have heard them arguing with each other. Gaara was in his office on the top floor. That she knew, and cursed the fact that she knew, because it only strengthened her desire to rush up and see him. Her body shivered from just thinking of his soothing voice, and then Sasuke came into her head again. She frowned as she opened her room door, the package balancing in the grip of just one hand, and closed it firmly behind her. She leaned up against the wood, contemplating. Her heart raced with the knowledge she now knew. She discerned two things,
   One, Sasuke was back.
   Two, Gaara was hopelessly in love with her.
   Sakura sighed as she slid down the frame of the door, letting her body relax on the floor. She drew up her knees and planted her chin firmly on top of them, wrapping her arms around her legs. What would she do … now that Sasuke had returned? She couldn’t just run to him, think that everything that had happened was all a lie, and embrace him with open arms. That she wouldn’t do. Though, she couldn’t ignore him either, not when he had come here for a purpose. She sighed again, lifting and dropping her head against her knees, trying to beat an answer into her confused brain. She stopped for a moment, considering the other side of the problem. Gaara loved her. She too had feelings for him. Not as strong, perhaps, but she was getting there. She couldn’t excuse that.
   The door suddenly opened and bumped Sakura’s back. She grimaced and leaned back against the wood, irritated somewhat.
   ‘Who’s there?’ she asked.
   ‘Er … house maid.’ came a timid reply.
   Sakura flushed deeply, grabbing up her present for Gaara and jumping to her feet. She swung open the door and hurried outside into the hallway, letting the maid get inside. She mumbled out an apology before walking hastily down the corridor. The centre of her body felt numb. She couldn’t focus on Sasuke now. She had to give Gaara his gift. She had to wish him a happy birthday, a belated one. She blushed again on her way up another pair of stairs, thinking of how he would react to such a gesture of kindness. Her rapid heartbeat was enough to make her stop when she reached the top floor, frightened of what would happen when she opened his office door. She swallowed nervously, her hand shaking on the door knob, before twisting the handle and entering the room. She smiled her best smile, and then saw Matsuri leaning against the Kazekage’s desk, laughing over something. Gaara looked distant, as though he was elsewhere, while sitting in his chair and fixating his gaze at a point above the girl’s head.
   Sakura knew what it had felt like whenever Ino had ran over and latched onto Sasuke, when Kakashi had taken more time to train the boys than herself, when other ninja had told her that she wasn’t strong enough to compete with Sasuke and Naruto. She felt that now, as she walked over to the desk with the parcel in her hands, tightly clutching the package as though it contained her very life. The bag was rumpling slightly.
   ‘So, Gama-sama, about where I’m staying -’ Matsuri broke off as soon as she heard Sakura’s purposely loud steps near her. She scowled at the pink-haired ninja, silently throwing looks of hate towards her new rival.
   ‘Well, if it isn’t Sakura-chan.’ continued Matsuri, lowering her flirty voice and rising her sweet tone. ‘What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be packing for Konoha? They must miss you there, just as everyone in Suna missed me when I was away.’
   Sakura softened her glare into something more friendly.
   ‘Why, of course I’m going back to Konoha.’ she said with a sour smile. ‘Tomorrow morning. Gaara-kun asked me to stay one more night.’
   Matsuri paled when she heard that, gritting her teeth into devilish fangs. She snorted in revulsion.
   ‘Well, wasn’t that nice of the Kazekage?’ she questioned mockingly. She gave a chilling laugh. ‘I hope you have a good last night’s sleep here, then. I wouldn’t want anything bad happening.’
   Sakura scowled, her cheeks reddening at Matsuri’s deepened meaning, even if Gaara didn’t catch on. She smiled tartly.
   ‘I will.’
   Matsuri grunted and reeled around to face Gaara again. She smiled sweetly at him. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Gaara-sama. We’ll go over Suna’s medical records so I can see what they’ve all learned.’
   Gaara nodded gently, his hair shifting delicately across the kanji on his forehead. ‘Of course.’ he simply replied.
   Pleased with her efforts of making conversation with her beloved, Matsuri turned elegantly on one foot and waved before heading out the office door. Sakura stared after her, eyes like daggers, piercing in through the back of the other girl, envying the fact that she was from Suna and not Konoha, like herself. Her hands were tight around her gift until she heard Gaara rise from his chair. She turned her head to see him walk over to her, his silent footsteps barely ticking the floor.
   ‘You came early.’ he commented, stopping a few inches away from her.
   Sakura nodded, her grip on the present relaxing. ‘I … finished early.’ she finally said. She tossed another gaze towards the door. ‘What did … Matsuri want?’
   Gaara sighed. ‘Nothing much, really. Just to talk about the medical problems of Suna.’ he said. ‘She’s interested in leading the main team.’
   ‘Oh …’ murmured Sakura. She fidgeted with the ribbons on the parcel, her eyes slowly shifting up to Gaara’s again, green emeralds under long lashes. ‘What do you think … of Matsuri?’
   Gaara stiffened, tilting his head back a little. He frowned with his naked brows at Sakura’s question.
   ‘Well … I don’t know.’ he said awkwardly. ‘She’s … nice, I suppose.’
   Sakura felt a great twang of hurt sink into her system. She nodded briefly before saying another, ‘Oh …’
   Her depressed eyes were more than enough for Gaara to bear, though, as he stared, confused, at her troubled face. He leaned in towards her, sliding his hands against her waist, pressing his mouth to her cheek, his slow breath surging down across her face, pass her lips. Sakura gasped sharply, her knees trembling, and had to latch her hand onto his arm to prevent from falling. She gulped down her apprehension, trying to remember what she had been planning to say next.
   ‘Gaa - Gaara-kun!’ she said loudly, pushing the gift towards his chest. She felt his hand move over hers as he took the package under his own arm. His face shifted away as he looked down at the brightly wrapped present, and he gave his little half-smile.
   ‘You … gave me a birthday present?’ he questioned, flickering his jade eyes up to meet hers. His smile broadened. ‘You didn’t need to do that. I’m quite happy with just … being near you.’
   Sakura blushed, and quickly diverted his attention back down to the gift. She motioned for him to open it, smiling a little when she saw his face take on the look of an excited child. Her smile softened. She would have to remember that expression. Gaara laughed lightly when he pulled the bear from the bag it had been concealed in, dropping the wrapping on the floor. He studied the bear while he held it in both hands, grinning at the dark circles around the eyes. He shifted a sly look towards Sakura.
   ‘You … didn’t plan this on purpose, did you?’ he asked.
   Sakura looked perplexed. ‘What do you mean?’ she questioned.
   Gaara shook his head, still beaming at the stuffed animal. He moved his hand towards the card, sliding his thumb underneath to open it.
   ‘Hoping that you will find love and happiness on your birthday. Love … Sakura.’ read Gaara.
   Had she just imagined that, or did he really say her name with such an infatuation? She swallowed anxiously, and wondered if she should go along with her plans of hugging him. Gaara left the bear lying on a thin sheet of sand, which carried the stuffed animal to his desk and sat it down among his paperwork. Sakura had been so busy watching the little movements that she almost didn’t notice when Gaara leaned against her, but that was perceptible. He whispered something in her ear, something that she couldn’t quite catch because she was too busy focusing on trying not to collapse. She needed to think of a way to escape him. She couldn’t fall deeper into his world of lovesick thoughts and longings. She was leaving tomorrow, and who knew when she would get back to Suna.
   ‘Love … Sakura …’ repeated Gaara, whispering into her ear as he locked one arm around her back. She trembled as his lips grazed her bare shoulder, her breathing speeding up. She couldn’t handle this. It was too intense, it was always too intense. He was like a hungry predator out for the kill, chasing her down, drawing her in, and then latching down onto his prey with his seductive methods. He probably didn’t even know how he was affecting her. He was being Gaara, the desert monster, known to be just that at whatever he did, even when it came to love. For he was a monster right now, leading her into such a panic that her heart might explode. It wasn’t life threatening, but it was unbearable for her to experience.
   ‘Gaara-kun …’ whispered Sakura faintly, as his lips nuzzled her skin just to the right of her collarbone. Her shaky breaths fell lightly against the side of his face. He looked up briefly, locked his eyes with hers, before pressing a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth. Her heart jolted then, making both her hands move up to fasten around his neck, his soft hair just tickling her fingers. Gaara gave a short, yet musical, chuckle before lifting his free hand and placing it to her face to hold her steady. Sakura felt her legs give way, then, but she didn’t fall. She was in his deathly, inhuman grasp, and he wouldn’t drop her, not even if she was indestructible.
   His fingers caressed her jaw line, tracing up to her ear, and then back down towards her lips, affectionately stroking them with his gentle touches. He bent his head down even closer still, and nudged his nose against her cheek. Sakura felt helpless in his control, like being trapped in a net, not feeling entirely secure about the situation, but knowing that it had to give way sooner or later. For Gaara, it was usually always later. Though, now, as Sakura saw his calm eyes shut, she knew it would be sooner. Knowing that she could clearly see the remaining traces of blackness across his lids only proved that he was much too close. But she stayed where she was.
   Gaara’s lips moved against hers, parting them, and pressed down even harder to deepen the kiss, saving Sakura from dying of her unbearable anticipation as she waited for him to do just that. Her hands fell limp around his neck and glided down towards his chest. He took that opportunity to move his own hand from her face and drape it around her back, crushing her body against his. Sakura’s fingers dug into the vest he wore, tugging at the loose strap, trying to pull him closer as their lips weaved together their most delayed kiss. She unzipped the pesky obstacle, accidentally breaking the buckle on the way down, and heard the vest hit the floor, quite heavy for its size. Her hands groped along his overcoat, her fingers merging with the fabric, crumpling it in her grasp, attempting to get as near to him as possible. The sweetness of his taste drove her into complete madness.
   Soon, though, she felt Gaara’s lips break loose from hers, his mouth still pressed close, his raspy breath pouring down across her skin as her panting matched his. She shifted her hands up around his neck once again, locking her fingers into his hair, pulling him back to her, but he stopped her with a moan, shaking his head gently. He let his forehead rest against hers, pressing a few soft, yet rapid, kisses to her lips, not wanting to actually end their moment of affection. Sakura’s mind was settled now. She had to go back to Konoha, but she would regret every single moment she would be away from him. She had tonight, though, to be with him alone. Her last night in Suna. The thought choked her with tears.
   ‘It’s getting dark …’ murmured Gaara, stroking the hair from her face. He kissed her forehead affectionately, letting his lips linger against her skin as he usually did on purpose now. ‘Are you … tired?’
   Sakura murmured something illegible, unable to actually speak with all the exhilaration she had just gone through, and pressed a kiss to his neck. Gaara sighed contentedly and pulled her tight against him, letting his head relax on top of hers. His strong arms and hands fully overwhelmed her back.
   ‘Sakura-san …?’ he asked again.
   Sakura nodded against his chest, closing her eyes and letting all of her weight drop into his grasp. Gaara moved slowly, leaving one hand on her back and curling the other under her knees, picking her daintily up into his arms. She cuddled into his warm body, picking at the zipper of his overcoat. Gaara crooned a few soft words to her, and she stopped, resisting her temptation to loosen his clothes. He carried her out into the corridor, his footsteps silent and unnoticeable to all hearing. Sakura’s head thudded against his chest as he descended the stairway towards the hallway containing all their bedrooms. She heard the familiar voices of Temari and Kankuro on the floor below, in the entrance room, arguing about something, but she didn’t pay attention to it. That information was irrelevant to her at this point in time. Two doors swung open, one shut. They were now in the Kazekage’s room. It was dark, gloomy. Sakura glanced outside and saw how murky it had become since she came back.
   Gaara placed her on his bed, carefully lying her on his feathery pillows. She reached out for him, pulling his body towards her until his face was close like before. She was the one to press her lips against his this time, slowly letting his taste fill her with pleasure. He leaned his body weight onto her, closing in the space between them. He didn’t like space, not anymore. Sakura tugged at the zipper of his overcoat, pulling it down to reveal a mesh-like shirt. Gaara pulled at Sakura’s top, but only stopped when the innocence she loved about him crept into his words.
   ‘I’ll go get your nightdress …’ he said softly, rising off her. The warmness disappeared almost instantly, and Sakura felt like forgetting about the stupid pyjamas and calling her lover back down to her. But he was gone in a swirl of golden sand, not a single particle landing on the bed.
   Sakura sat up and looked down at her hands. She noticed how shaky she was, how her fingers trembled with … enthusiasm? Fear? She wasn’t exactly sure, but she wanted Gaara back in her arms. He arrived precisely when he was needed, appearing beside her on the bed, as though he had never left at all. Her white nightdress was in his hands. He passed it to her, pointed to the bathroom, and then started removing his overcoat. Sakura groaned as she walked to the other room, watching him undress. She wanted to do that. Instead, she would be busying herself with changing while he pulled his net-like shirt up over his taut muscles, his broad shoulder blades, and his curved back.
   Closing the door quickly behind her, afraid that he might actually hear her thumping heart, Sakura undressed in a rush and slipped into her nightdress. She wondered, then, why she just didn’t wear a t-shirt and shorts like all her other friends did. She would have to buy those things in Konoha. They sounded like more comfortable garments of clothing anyway. She re-opened the door and went back inside Gaara’s bedroom, only to find him shirtless on the bed, sitting in the same place she had left him. Sakura blushed awkwardly at the long, uncomfortable walk she had to take before actually climbing up onto his bed again. His arms enfolded around her, drawing her down onto the soft mattress with him. He pulled the blankets up across them, as the coldness of night at Suna began once more, and let her head rest against his heavily structured chest. She listened to the slow thumping of his heart, and then, giving into her enticement, moved her lips along the muscles of his torso, leaving tender kisses on his chest until Gaara shuddered and told her to stop, saying that he couldn’t handle it.
   Sakura moved her face up to his neck, rested her forehead there like during the other night she had been lying beside him. He squeezed her tiny body, pulling her nearer, no longer in a friendly gesture, but more intimate.
   ‘You go to sleep, Sakura-san.’ said Gaara quietly, staring at the ceiling. ‘I think I’ll just lie awake tonight. I won’t … get to see you again for awhile, so I would rather hold on to you for as long as possible.’
   Sakura nodded against his neck, that saddened feeling entering her body once more. She felt tears erupt in her eyes, and quickly doused them before Gaara could notice. She wouldn’t cry in front of him again. The last time she had done that, he had kissed away her pain, but she didn’t want him to be interrupted from his last desire before she left. If all he wanted to do was hold her close, then she would let him do just that. He had never known love or affection before. This was enough for him. This was enough to please him. He didn’t need much, just a promise, a promise that she would never leave him, and that her heart belonged to him.
   ‘Sakura-san …’ whispered Gaara again. She felt him swallow against her forehead.
   ‘What is it, Gaara-kun?’ she wondered aloud, stoking his perfect physique.
   ‘I … I …’ He choked on his words, pulling her closer towards him, closing his eyes as he pressed his chin against her hair. ‘I … really … love you, Sakura-san …’
   Sakura whimpered into his shoulder, wiping her moist eyes on his bare skin. She took a deep breath before responding.
   ‘Well … that’s fine, because …’ She paused to swallow an upcoming sob. ‘Because … I really love you too, Gaara-kun!’
   That had sent her into a spasm of crying. She sobbed quietly in the darkness of the room, holding onto what she now considered her most cherished and loved possession. Her tears streamed rapidly down over her flushed face, falling when they reached the rim of her jaw. Gaara was quick to sooth her weeping, kissing her face with a passionate manner. For the rest of the night, he held her head close to his, their cheeks side-by-side, both comforting each other’s sorrow while they waited for the morning sunlight.
   Sakura knew one thing Gaara was absolutely wrong about. Sunrises were definitely more tear-jerking than sunsets.