Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

A Bride from Konoha	By : dotdotdot86 Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1949 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Chapter 13: Uncertain feelings

She honestly did not want to see him so soon.
If any under circumstance, it would be easier to avoid him, but this evening, she certainly did not have any choice at all. In her position as a medical researcher and his position as a kage, the probability of not to meet each other was nearly zero.
She found him on the top of the roof of Kage building, watching downward. He looked so formidable as usual, with his stance was so straight, hands akimbo while watching the busy street. Even when he was in relax position, she could feel the powerful aura that was emanated from his body was so darkly dangerous. Only a fool would challenge someone like him.
He is the loneliest person that I ever met.
Sakura frowned. Damn Kankuro for putting that image into her head. But, to be honest, this was not the first time she heard that sentence. Naruto used to say that too, feeding her all the information about Gaara, how he had changed from a sociopath killer to a respectable leader. Naruto still concern about how Gaara sometimes was too secretive, saying that he needed to open up himself a bit by broadening his circle of friends.
What makes Kankuro thinks she can easily be his friend? She did not even know the status of their relationship. What were they to each other? Was this some kind of one-night stand or more than that?
Sakura sighed and walked towards him.
"They said I can find you here."
" You need something?" He asked without turning. Sakura moved to stand beside him. She looked downward. The afternoon market streets were busy as usual despite the last night fire incident.
Sakura studied his face. He looked so distant, like there was a barrier between them. He was so different from last night. Today he was back and closed himself into his safe zone.
Maybe because today was a bleak day for Suna as they lost the entire family of Fukudo clan. While most of the people were wearing black robes as showing respect to the sorrowful day, all the flags had been rolled down to half of the polls.
"I just want to tell you that I will go to the canyon this evening. I need your permission to use the back gate."
He turned to her. "The reason you want to go there?"
"My student said there are several rare herbs that can be found near the canyon. I want to collect the herbs and do more research about the medicine."
Gaara nodded. "I will go with you."
"Oh, there's no need." Sakura said in rush, felt a slightly panic inside her stomach. "I know you are busy. Besides, Sato-kun said he can accompany me."
"Sato….kun?" Gaara arched his non existence eyebrows while emphasis the suffix-name.
"Well, everybody calls him that." Sakura just shrugged. "He is one of my best students. He said, he knows the best place where to find the plants."
"It is near the river." Gaara said. "I can take you there."
"Well…." She hesitated. This was really not a good idea. Considering that people had already speculating about their arrival last night without proper attires, going out together in a broad day light could easily lead them into believing the rumor was entirely true.
But she knew darned well how persistence Gaara could be if he already set his mind. Besides, he looked too expressionless, too distant, like he was in pain about something.
"Well, if you say so..."
Gaara held her arm. "Let's go."
"You mean…now?"
Gaara just shrugged. "Why not? You are in appropriate attire." He said, indicating her usual red shirt.
The sands swirled around them, closing them in before disappeared back in seconds. Sakura blinked several times before looked around. They were at the place near the back gate. Two guards gave a salute.
"Kage-sama." The guard opened the gate.
"Let's go." Gaara said and started to move.
"May I know something?"
"What is it?"
"When you used sand just now, why didn't you teleported us outside the gate?" She asked curiously.
"I'm only set the sand parameter in the village." He said. "In the village, I can go anywhere I want."
"It is convenience." Sakura said, thinking of the last night fire incident.
"Yes, but it requires too much energy." They went to another path. "I usually use the technique for the emergency."
A carriage pulled out by two horses was passed by. A noise sound of the heavy wheels hit the small pebbles. The driver waved at Gaara.
"What is that?" Sakura asked curiously.
"Raw minerals."
"Excuse me?"
"We are near to the gold mine. They mine the metal and bring to the village to craft before sell them."
"Now, I remember." Sakura said. "Sato-kun once said that you found the gold mines two years ago. It is one of your village economic boosters."
They reached the mining place. The muddy river was crowded with people who were so busy working. Some of them were digging in the river, and others were holding pans on the surface of the water while shaking and swelling them.
"What are they doing?" she asked curiously.
"They are doing the panning technique. Gold panning is a mostly manual technique of sorting gold. Wide, shallow pans are filled with sand and gravel that may contain gold. Water is added, and the pans are shaken, sorting the gold from the gravel and other material. As gold is much denser than rock, it quickly settles to the bottom of the pan." Gaara explained.
"So, basically you mine the rock, bring back to the village, craft them and sell." Sakura stated.
Gaara nodded. "It's a good business after all."
They went further by the riverside where river had turned from muddy to clearer water with small trees like dates, figs, olives, and apricots were planted. Across the river, small animals were sharing the water of life, the great gift from Mother Nature to this harsh land. A group of desert foxes were resting under the small trees, taking a shelter from the hot sun.
Along the river, there were huge bunches of sweet and sticky dates dangled from palm trees. Gaara stopped under one of the apricot trees. He plucked one fruit and held to her mouth.
"Taste it." He said.
Sakura took a bite of the golden orange color fruit and swallowed the sweet taste of the juice. When some of the juice escaped from the corner of her mouth, Gaara wiped her lower lip with his thumb.
Sakura sucked her breath and her bottom lip felt the tingling sensation down to her core. Gaara stared at her without a word. But she could see his iris were darken and smoldering. His lips parted slightly and his face tainted with faint flush, maybe he also was affected by this simple gesture.
They stared at each other for awhile, before Gaara finally turned his back.
"Let's move."
"Uh, where is actually you want to bring me?"
"Didn't you say you want to find medicinal plants?"
"I did, but…" She gasped at the sight of the view. The desert was covered with a carpet of colorful flowers that were blooming so beautifully under the hot sun. The sight took her breath away. Sakura recognized some flowers like daisies and poppies. Baby foxes were rolling playfully and jumped over the thick bush of plants.
"You are lucky to come here in this season."
"I never thought…" Sakura said.
"You thought we don't have flowers here?"
"Well, honestly, I did." She admitted.
"The plants wither and die during the hot and dry months, but when it rains the seeds that survive in the ground will be growing again."
"So, this is the rainy season time?" Sakura asked doubtfully as the sky was as clear as crystal.
Gaara gave his rare smile. "In fact, we have abundant rainfall this year. Sometimes there is a year or two the rainfall season is overdue. When that happens, the river will dry."
"That's why you built an irrigation system."
"Yes." he said.
The sky was so blue without cloud. The outline of the dunes was clearly shown against the sky. Sakura took the opportunity to study his face as he was watching the land with an intense expression.
"You love this village, don't you?" Sakura said softly without thinking. Gaara turned to her with a surprise expression. Sakura felt her face became so warm. She quickly let her gaze away from his and looked at the canyon.
The breeze blew softly, bringing the dry leaves and particles of sand towards them. Truly, the picturesque scenery of Suna Village from here was so amazingly breathtaking.
Kankuro was wrong, she mused. She began to understand. Gaara didn't feel trap, he was part of this land. He could not survive without sand, just as the village could not survive without him anymore. He was bound to this fate ever since he was born. Even if, he was ever betrayed by his own people, even if he managed to escape to other land, he would never find the peace. His heart belonged here, he just couldn't survive.
She let herself busy by opening her pouch to retrieve small plastic bag.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to take the sample of the plants here."
"All plants?"
"Preferably." Sakura said and kneeled in front of a bunch of Willows. "But, as we don't have much time today I'm going to take the seeds of several medicinal plants that I recognize from the hospital journals." She cut the stalk of Willow, before moved to Red Clover.
"Hnn." Gaara moved beside her then lie down. Sakura glanced at him. His arm pillowed his head and closed his eyes. He looked relax.
She glanced at him to smile. "I used to do some research in Mountain village. There are so many useful herbs that can be found there. Some of the roots are more than hundred years old. Some of the rare herbs can even cure the deathly poison in a matter of seconds if you combine a correct amount of chakra. "
"You know a lot about herbs."
"I asked Shikamaru to bring back some herbs that I cultivated back in the Konoha village. I need the herbs for the birthing process. I should tell you sooner, but…" Sakura bit her lower lip before continued. "Temari's condition is not so good and it is too risky to carry out the normal procedure."
She stopped for a while and glanced at him. "Temari asked me to choose the baby instead of herself if something bad happen." She said quietly. "But I can't promise her that. Shikamaru doesn't want to lose her. I don't want to lose her."
Gaara was silent for a while, before he replied. "You are the medic. It's your own decision."
"What if I made a wrong decision and end up losing both of them? I'm not a God. I'm just a medic. Sometime even medic can make a mistake." She sighed and scooted to lie beside him. She put her arm under her head and watched the swarm of birds flying across open sky.
"Save Temari. She can have another baby next time." He finally said. "It will be a harsh life for the baby without its mother."
Sakura stared at the small cloud, tried to figure the shape. "I think so too."
There was a long silent moment, before he spoke softly. ""He was one of the elders who plotting my death."
Sakura stared at him and felt strange emotion rush through her. He was talking about his youth days when people had despised and afraid of him as a monster.
"Fukudo-sama?"
"Yeah, him and several councilors. Even now he still didn't accept me as a kage."
Something inside her clenched painfully when she thought of his heart had been betrayed at such a young age.
She looked away from him before got up to continue her work. Although he remained silent, she could feel he was watching every movement she made. Sakura felt self-conscious and awkward. What about him that made she felt the overflowing emotion that cascading inside her? Was it because of Kankuro had said this morning? Or because of the peaceful place and the silence evening breeze that brought back the childhood memories?
It took nearly half hour when she finally got twenty specimens of the plants. She carefully put them inside her sling bag before turned to Gaara and gave a smile.
"I think I have collected enough specimens today."
Gaara nodded and got up. "It's getting dark, let's go home."
"You know what, to show my appreciation of you bringing me here; I think I should make you a dinner."
Gaara stared at her. "You know how to cook?"
"Well of course. Although I only cook occasionally, it always brings me a pleasure to watch people eating my food." She smiled. "Heck, if Naruto is here he can testify that I am one of his favorite cooks."
"You cook for Naruto?"
Sakura glanced at him in surprised. His tone is almost bland and natural, but she still could detect something slightly difference in it, like he was jealous or something.
"Well, considering he likes to eat free meals," she spoke neutrally, pondering. "I'm not his only victim, you know. When he does the sweet talks to women, they are willing to prepare any food he wants."
Gaara finally smiled. "It does sound like him."
Sakura laughed. "It is one of his charms." She turned to him again. "So, what do you have in your mind?"
"Chicken curries."
She frowned. "I never thought you like spicy meals."
"And you said know how to cook."
Was he teasing her? Sakura wondered, studied his face. He looked relaxed and content. When he smiled he looked like a few years younger, not like a serious man who carry an enormous burden of responsibilities. She suddenly wanted to see his boyish face again.
"Well, let see." She tapped her finger on her cheek. "Hmm, since my kitchen and yours have almost nothing at the moment, so you should go and buy all the ingredients. Heck, we don't even have rice to begin with!"
He gaped at her, clearly horrified of her suggestion. "You want me to buy all the stuffs?"
"Hey, I cook, you buy." She jabbed at his chest with her forefinger. "It is a great deal after all."
She opened her pouch to retrieve her pocket notebook and a pen. She opened the blank page and began to list down the ingredients. "Hmm, let's see. What I need is a half chicken, olive oil, onion, garlic, chili, turmeric, cumin, coriander…." She wrote all the things she needed and handed down the list to him.
He looked down at the list and frowned. " I don't even know half of these stuffs, how can I go and buy? "
Sakura tapped her foot impatiently. "Since the market is closed in the evening, just go to the nearest store and show this list to the shopkeeper." She smiled slyly. "You will need to go different stores to get all these things. I bet it will be a new exciting experience for you. "
"Don't count on it." He muttered and scowled at her. "You do enjoy giving me a hard time, don't you?"
Sakura looked at him with an innocent face before said demurely, "Oh, I would not dare to do that, kage-sama."
Gaara grabbed her body and kissed her fast and hard before let her go. "I will make you pay tonight."
"I thought we agree that I pay your effort with my cooking." She teased although she felt warm crept over her cheeks.
He stared grimly at her. "No, we agree the meal is the repayment for me accompanies you here." He circled his arms around her body closer. "As my great effort to get all your cooking ingredients, I do need another repayment tonight."
"You drive a hard bargain, kage-sama."
He smirked. "It is what I'm good at."

"What the hell have you,done Kankuro?" Temari scowled irritably at her brother.
"Aw, sis, I didn't do anything wrong. It just happens. They are clearly attracted to each other. It's not my fault they are sleeping together."
"That's not what I mean and you know it." Temari glared at his brother. "It is about the rumor of marriage and this afternoon I heard you sent a convoy to Konoha."
"Well, " Kankuro scratched his head. "It was Gaara's order, not mine. I was just doing my job."
"Damn it." She muttered. "Does Sakura know about this?"
"She has been aware about the rumor and the reason behind it. But she still thinks it's just a fraud."
"So, frankly speaking," she narrowed her eyes. "We are deceiving her."
"You could say that."
"Damn and double damn."
"You know sis," Kankuro spoke casually while he helped himself to a cracker from the small dish that sat on the table. "I don't think you should use that word anymore since you are about to become a mother."
Temari glared at him but didn't say anything. She sank deeper into her sofa and sighed. "The reason I asked her to come here is to help my birthing, not to become our brother's innocent bride."
"So what?" Kankuro asked with a careless shrug. "They are already together. Gaara has never looked other women like that before. If he needs someone to trust, it is her."
"No," her lips thinned. "I think their relationship right now is only based on the physical attraction."
"So, you prefer he marry Hyuuga Hinata? Huh, I bet one week after the marriage, they both will bore to tears. They both are dull and quiet type people. "
"So, they will have a peaceful marriage life."
"Nah, Gaara needs a woman who can distract him from his job a little. He needs a little fire to play with."
"What are you now? A shrink?" Temari snorted with disgust. "And since when you like to play a love culprit?"
Kankuro looked at her, studied her face. "Who are you protecting, Temari?"
"Both." She sighed. "He is my brother. She is my best friend. I don't want either of them hurt."
"What makes you think that?"
"I'm extremely grateful that she is here to deliver the baby. Loyalty is one of her greatest features. I know she will never let her friends down and lose hope." She paused, pondering. "Then, she agrees to stay here for a year as a medic jounin as compensation to the broken agreement. Again," she said, "it is because of her loyalty to her own village."
"And this loyalty made her turned from the notorious man she loves." Kankuro said.
"For women, it is so hard to choose between love and loyalty. Even I don't that strength to choose the loyalty to our village when the matter involves Shikamaru."
"And made her pay the price."
"Huh?"
Kankuro looked at her. "Don't you ever wonder why the elders want a bride specifically from Konoha?"
Realization hit her hard. "Because I choose Shikamaru?"
"You are one of the greatest jounins and Suna lose you to its greatest rival. So, the elders want to get even."
"I never thought that." Guilt was eating inside her made her felt the ache in her heart.
"The problem becomes more complicated than ever when Gaara wants her too."
"What do you mean?"
Kankuro hesitated, thinking about the latest rumor concerning the new leader of Akatsuki. "I think the Konoha elders won't have any objection of this marriage."
"Why?"
"Because they want to lure Uchiha Sasuke out from his hiding."
"So, they want to use her as bait?"
"Yes." He said softly, thinking the rumors of how the elders had deceived her by keeping secrets of Uchiha's activities for the past three years.
Temari bit her lower lip, thinking. "I heard Uchiha is a possessive bastard. He will come out to claim her again."
"Hell, they both are possessive bastards." Kankuro replied, thinking of his brother. "It is one of their similarities. No wonder Sakura attracts to him." He looked at his sister again. "Who do you think she will choose this time?"
"Who knows?" Temari shrugged. "She's a complicated little creature. I bet she doesn't even know what her heart actually wants."
"Well, so I guess only time will tell." He said and scratching his chin, thinking. "At the mean time," he said carefully, while watching his sister drinking her tea. "Why don't we take another advantage in this chaotic situation?"
"You mean like issuing another wager?" Temari asked disdainfully.
"Why not? It's an excellent opportunity to have some extra income." Kankuro said while studying his sister. Temari might look unconcerned and disinterested, but he knew his sister remarkably well.
"After all, we both won last time."
"Hmm," Temari said, finishing her tea. "Let's do it again."

While his siblings were speculating and plotting their scheme, Gaara was leaning against the kitchen door, drinking sake and watched the pink hair woman washing dishes. He had never felt content like this before, and his stomach already full with dinner just now, he felt lazy and as happy as clam.
He watched the way she moved from side to side, scraping and washing. How her calves were taut when she stood on tiptoe to reach upper cabinet and putting things back into their places. And the way how she moved so comfortably in his presence, like this domesticated scene happened everyday in their lives. Several tendrils were loose from her bun and plastered onto her sweating neck. He licked his lips while watching beads of perspiration running down the curve of her neck. He wanted to loosen the bun and let her pink hair free. He wanted to inhale the soft hair and to rub it against his cheek.
Hell. He began to realize that he was obsessed with her. He even had this dark ugly thought about killing Uchiha and made he think all the unreasonable reasons of why the guy should not being alive at the first place. And damn it, he even didn't feel guilty about claiming her although he knew very well Naruto's feeling.
He waited until Sakura wiped her hands with a kitchen towel, before made a move towards her. Sakura turned over her shoulder and smiled at him. He trapped her body by put his palms onto the countertop, sandwiching her between his body and the counter.
"If I know you have so much time dwindling you thumbs without nothing to do, I should make you scrapping the dinner."
He nuzzled her hair and temple before whispered into her ear "But I have already bruised my manly reputation when I went shopping this evening."
"Oh?"
"You were right, it was adventurous." He said when recalled the incident this evening. The people were gaping at him when he came out from the stores, his arms full with groceries. When he entered the next store to buy some eggs and meat, the shopkeeper looked so flabbergasted at his presence.
"Hmm? Care to share your amusement?" Sakura asked as she sensed him smiling.
"The shopkeepers were so nervous they lost the counting. In the end I got everything free."
"You like to intimidate people, don't you?" Sakura said. "One look and they all scattered like hopeless deer."
"Are you afraid of me?"
"Why should I? After all you are the sweetest man on earth."
"Sweet?" He frowned, trying to taste the ridiculous idea.
"You accompanied me this afternoon, and then you bought the groceries for me. You are such a sweet man."
He began to realize she was jesting with him. He turned her body around, facing him and cupped her buttock. Her eyes widened and she wetted her bottom lip.
"Let me show you how sweet I can be." He said before lower his head to kiss her.
"Gaara…" Sakura said softly and put her palm on his chest to prevent him capturing her mouth.
He went still. He dropped both hands beside him struggling not to clench. He stared at her uncertain eyes.
"What is it?"
"I don't think we should continue this."
His mood suddenly turned dark. The woman contradicted herself. She wanted him, he noticed the way her body trembled when he was near.
"What kind of game is this? I don't appreciate it, Sakura."
"No, no game this time. I just want us to stop before it becomes too late."
"It's already happened." He said and lowered his lips to kiss her again.
"I…" Sakura pushed the wall of his chest lightly. He sighed and let her escaped to the nearest window. He leaned against the counter and watched her removed the apron from her body.
"You cooked meal for me and you were flirting with me this evening. You want me, Sakura, don't you dare try to deny it."
"Gaara," she sighed. "I like you, I really do. But considering our positions and all the rumors about us, I don't think this is the best way to handle the situation. I like us to remain friends and I really don't want to complicate things."
He wondered if she pretended to be coy or something else. He went towards her and took the apron from her and tossed it aside. He grabbed her body and lifted up her chin, forcing her to look at him.
"I think it is too late for that." He said and crushed his mouth against her warm sweet mouth. Deep hunger awakened his sense. She smelled all woman and sex.
Sakura broke their kiss. "Maybe.."
He sighed. What now… "Yes?"
"Maybe we should clarify several things." She said.
"Such as?"
"The thing between us is just sex, isn't it?"
Gaara stared at her, wondering why she opened this topic at the first place. "Naturally." He said. "Now, it's my turn to ask you a question. Why now? We are sleeping together for two days."
"That's because I know your type very well."
He stared at her long enough before curved a lazy smile. "You want me to remain faithful."
"If," she emphasized the word. "We have a relationship." She folded her arms and looked directly at him. "I don't share well. But as we know, we are not. "
What the hell did it mean? He wondered. He played the strand of her hair, trying not giving in the urge to yank it.
"Face the fact Sakura. We are having a relationship. If you think I will let you go to other man, you are sadly mistaken."
She scowled. "Just because you are my first that doesn't mean you can own me. We only met few days for heaven sake!"
A sudden dark anger surged through him. He wanted to shake her for her stubbornness. Nobody dared to talk to him like this before. He was so used to get what he wanted, the thought of the pink hair woman challenged him made his arousal grew harder and throbbing painfully. He wanted to take her there, on the kitchen floor, with her legs spread and the moist heat of her core enveloped his cock. He had been restrained himself for doing so since this afternoon when they were in the dessert. They were filthy with sand and dried sweat. But when she gave him those smile, with her face smudged with dirt, he felt all the same.
He let go of his breath and tried to contain his patience.
"Do you want me, Sakura?"
She blushed at his blunt question before looked away. "I do." She bit her lower bottom before looked back at him. Gaara nearly groaned at such innocence display. " But, someday, when we end this fling, I hope there will be no hard feelings between us."
He clenched his hand, tried to restrain himself from telling her about the marriage proposal. He knew by now she wasn't ready to let Uchiha go. He finally nodded. "My turn. There is something I want to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I won't share you." he said and claimed her mouth again.
- 12
- 13
- 14
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

A Bride from Konoha