Sleeping Beauty

AN: Well, this is the first story of that kind I've written, done looong time ago. Today I was in *such* a foul mood, I decided to upload this. So, please review, every comment is greatly valued and appreciated. Have fun!

When she was a little cute pink-haired girl, long ago before she became a famous Haruno, known for her beauty and medic-nin skills that surpassed even her sensei’s, her amazing gen-jutsu and extremely short temper (beware perverted man, don’t use a forbidden word about a certain part of a face!), before the view of her hair that was a shade of soft petals of sakura tree caused both sighing in longing and running away (if you used a forbidden word!), that little girl got a booklet about two grubs who lived together as flat mates. It wasn’t particularly funny, wasn’t especially good-written, just kind of a bewitching philosophic tale you get to read once. These two maggots got to grew up together as bestest friends, but they’ve become adults and one of them turned into moth, and the other into stunningly beautiful butterfly. Sadly, they friendship was no more ‘cause when moth was sleeping, butterfly was awake, and vice versa. And even though they were crestfallen, they let it go, just like this. And, darn, she didn’t understand it then.

And she doesn’t understand it now.

On her way to the Sand, she mused. How come she didn’t want to let it go? Maybe it should be that way, the way all responsible people behave.
Besides being a girlfriend of a *Kazekage* would be troublesome. If he even cared.

Besides it would be better if he didn’t.

Yep, definitely better.

“You dimwit, are you implying that shagging a sexy monster with SUCH a body is wrong?”
She inwardly scowled.

Oh, I see the Sand’s gates. How *lovely*.

Someone snorted.

It all began because of her need to thank him. After all he ended up, along with Naruto and Sasuke-kun, rescuing Konoha and killing that ruthless bastard (in some dark place in back of her mind Inner Sakura growled at the mention of that weasel) who seemed to not even change his facial expressions. It cannot be said that everything concluded as a happy end, with Sasuke choosing (who’d have thought?) Tenten of all people to help him restore his clan, and Naruto Still Trying To Become A Hokage, and her, thinking about herself as of – surprise, surprise! - a social tool without a use, that even increasing after not being helpful in Sasuke’s Battle, and his choice of a wife (I wasn’t *good* enough, *skilled* enough, just a pathetic annoying *weakling*), and deciding that the best thing she can do is to pay debts to Gaara. But, looking back now, she screwed this up perfectly.

Well, Gaara was content. It was marvelous. She was delighted he was happy. It was the only thing that kept her from stopping paying him her monthly visits. Of course, there was the second reason, that being away from him for too long meant that that annoying tugging at her heart increased – and it was damn irritating. She was also overjoyed that she was powerful enough to make him find peace, to make him sleep without endangering his very existence, and listening to his even breaths gave that kind of feeling that came from finding your very own nook, where you’re needed and your powers are like a piece of jigsaw that fitted *just* in a right place. Truthfully, it felt like home, even more like home than Konoha, and she guessed it was one of many reasons as to why she loved him and, at the same time, fell in love with him. She was glad she didn’t have to explain this for hours, just looked him in his aged eyes, ashamed and a bit afraid (Gaara of the Sand and his stoic calmness is enough to make her shiver…hell, now there were other reasons at the fought of him, her fantasies were enough to make her blush and stammer) and a hushed conversations, and he trusted her. The first few times they were confused and uneasy, but after that, well, let’s just say that he always ended up hugging her, arms around her waist protectively and refusing to let go, snuggling so close that all the awkwardness vanished. She befriended him soon after he dropped his guard around her. Their friendship was reluctant and hard to pull through – they both simply hadn’t had time to get to know each other, because their sleeping hours collided, yet were the closest people to each other. He was always calm and reflective, she so *not*. The short time between day and night was used to talking, and when they figured that, if given the chance, they could do so for hours, he – and it was quite infuriating – was shortening his time to sleep in order to know her better. Then, he seemed to grow accustomed to her, and she loved him even more for being such a hopeless altruist – clearly not knowing how to love or care, he gave her everything.
She even owned a small place in his flat (funny how he could careless about his items and hers were gently taken care of). Now, she thought she knew him more than anyone. And stupid naïve bint she was, she even was feeding herself for MONTHS with a picture of him starting, sulking and his eyes darken at the mention of Lee’s and his propositions of dates.

She must be really desperate.

Konoha’s kunoichi felt her insides explode at the sight before her: majestic Sand village feared and respected. They didn’t even stopped her at the gates, just smiled and waved. Good, old, creepy Kankurou. Temari currently residented at Konoha though, she smiled widely, the smile that caused her eyes to twinkle in all its glory. With a guy with no interest, who seemed actually not think of a certain fan-liking desert lily as troublesome.

Just a few steps, and she will be at his door, she thought nervously, suddenly aware of the sand crunching under her feet. Usually, at this time of a month, she would be with him already for a few days, but now she decided to be “accidentally” late, besides she had some injuries to tend. He lately stopped being that relaxed, who knows, maybe she did something wrong? She couldn’t do anything that just being around him aroused her. He couldn’t possibly…he couldn’t…but, who knows? After all a demon was a demon. He needed sleep, so naturally wouldn’t mention anything. And she was VERY relieved because of that. Snapping out of her daze, she stepped lightly on the first steps. Swiftly turning the doorknob, she came. What she saw was certainly…well, it was definitely unexpected.

The whole flat was in an inexplicable mess. No, wait, she thought sardonically. That flat was a *disaster*. *Everything* was literally shattered; nothing was in its destined place, except of her ‘corner’. She looked up with dread.
The roof was still there, thank God.
The first thought that came up was that he was hurt, ambushed, just like all these years ago she didn’t even have guts to bring herself to think about. Her delicate hands turned into fists and her body began shaking with fury. Through the haze of pure anger, one thought ringed.

‘Wouldn’t they have told me earlier, at the entrance?’

Relaxing, she remembered one thing Shikamaru, that lazy ass, stated.
‘A genius mind and short temper even out.’
So *maybe* he was a wee bit right. And didn’t deserve that punch back there. He probably hadn’t finished his business and she wasn’t to prey into theirs matters. She decided to wait, meanwhile trying to organize the mess and making him some food – she could *bet* he wasn’t eating properly, she fumed. Groaning at the mere view of the flat, she stood up and begun to slowly pick up items.

Not much later someone stormed into Gaara’s home, taking her by surprise, even though she was pretty much Sasuke’s level by now.
“Sakura” he stated hoarsely “you’re here”
“Y-yes” she stuttered, shocked by his unusual entrance, as he was always accompanied gracefully by sand, and by his disheveled appearance. Trying to keep her cool and NOT thinking how sexy he looked, she hastily added. “I mean, did I interrupt something? I can go, but I thou…”
“You are late” he said matter-of-factly, cutting her off rudely, with a soft look in his haunted eyes. “Why?” red-haired shinobi demanded.
“Gaara-kun…I mean, Gaara-sama, I had a few things to take care of. My mission turned out to be more dangerous than we expected and, in result, I had to tend some really serious injuries. Neji-san almost didn’t recover!” she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. Even now, when she thought how close she was to losing one of her most precious friends and comrades, and her one and only guinea pig she felt uncomfortable. Not to mention it would be the first patient who would die on her! Sure, it would happen eventually, Tsunade-shishou warned her, but she was silently dreading that day.
He looked at her skeptically. For a few days he was mad with worry. What if something had happened on her way here? Maybe the Akatsuki? He will personally hunt them down and make them endure pain their imagination wasn’t able to provide, he swore. But, he brushed off the ridiculous thought, knowing that, paradoxically, they were too afraid of her temper to do so and too engulfed in their own actions to think of killing her.
What if she met someone? A handsome man who wasn’t unable to be with her all the time and whose time with her wasn’t spent by sleeping? These thoughts haunted him, all the time, while his stoic expression hasn’t changed.
At first, when she came here and announced her ‘genius’ idea, he wasn’t entirely into it. Sure, it was certainly innovatory and offered him more than anyone ever had – or could, for that matter. He was genuinely surprised, even shell-shocked, if such term could ever apply to him, to hear that someone was so considerable. But, nonetheless, if this failed, if SHE failed, even for a moment, a split of a second stopped paying attention, the Shukaku would awaken and, at his best, would make a bloody massacre.
But…it hadn’t happened.
He SLEPT. He felt refreshed afterwards, being held in her soft, chilly arms it was as if the Uchiha brat would babble or Naruto would be for once subtle.
And she did all of this.
True, he wanted to get to know better kunoichi with sparkling green eyes and delicate voice, which could indefinitely harshen, depending on a person she was dealing with, the kunoichi who spend her life getting to know the Fox Kid, and who had the same annoying traits: noisiness and tenaciousness, the kunoichi who made his life from white and black to Technicolor.
And so he did. It’s not as if he expected to want to grow accustomed to her warmth when she enveloped him in a hug as if there was no tomorrow, when her hair was brushing his arms, tickling, and he could smell vague vanilla and cherries and the sound of her laughter who was the strongest of the smells, or to tend *just* his injuries with her precious chakra, not Hyuuga’s nor Lee’s. She turned out to be fiery, loyal, caring, and somewhat girly and she reminded him of a majestic Sakura trees that he first met in Konoha, and never EVER grew in Sand. Maybe, just maybe, he could keep one?
His gaze turned a little stormy when he saw her avoiding his gaze, fidgeting and blushing. His tall muscular form shifted uncomfortably. Of course, he was, if not handsome, at least intimidating and sexy, he could tell by an amount of giggling girls he passed by, but she – well, she had taken the title of a world’s beauty from her teacher, with her delicacy despite strength, her shy demeanor and her lips, lips that looked so enticing…What she would like to have in common with a monster?
How could he feel so…in place around her?

“Is something troubling you?” he asked coolly, his deep voice resounding alone in room.
“No, it’s nothing, really” she seemed to convince more herself, she thought with a bitter smile as the sound of Inner Sakura banging her head against a table echoed through her head.
Gaara merely raised a single eyebrow in an inquiring matter.
“Have you met someone, then?”
He gave no doubts as to what kind of someone she had met, that cheeky, no-nonsense brat. ‘Might as well end this ridiculous conversation’ she sighed wearily. She, slowly, but steadily, approached, raised her head and lightly pecked him on his lips.
Everything seemed frozen. To her utter disappointment he didn’t react, not even a muscle in his childlike face twitched. Ashamed, she took a few steps back, awaiting his reaction, but he would have none of that. His arms circled her waist in a blink if eye, and forcefully pushed her into his tight embrace.
“Sakura” he breathed her scent, his face pressed into her hair “why did you do this?”
“Well, you see, it was only natural since I…kind of… DAMN YOU, Gaara, do you HAVE to put me through this?” her temper flared as she started bitching, he smiling despite himself. “If you want to reject me, than do it, without cruel deceiving, I thought…”
“I am a monster.”
“Monster shmonster” she whispered petulantly, grasping his clothing. “Gaara, I *love* you.”
He responded after a while, the knowledge buzzing in his ears commanding him to kiss her fiercely. Oh, how he wanted to, no, needed to believe her, after all the hardships. He could feel Shukaku cheering him to kill her, to draw blood, but with her, he could be stronger than him. Her lips tasted so deliciously, something he couldn’t place, something he longed for so long. His tongue plunged into her mouth, exploring, tasting – shyly from the beginning, her wandering hands effectively taking the lead by grabbing and squeezing his firm ass. He smirked into her mouth, before continuing tormenting her now swollen lips.
Soon, her clothes were on the floor, cherry tunic following the rest of her garments in lustful frenzy. Gaara cherished her body with his hungry lips, striping himself because of a pure need for his skin to be pressed to her and ejoy the heated chemistry between them. His smooth fingers made their way to her lower abdomen, slowly teasing her skin, as it prickled goose bumps, while his mouth were on his nipple, his teeth not-so-gently scratching, his other hand squeezing her nice-filled breast (all in all, an apprentice of Tsunade is NOT just an empty title). She moaned, wriggling under his body – *when* or *how* they ended up in his bed was a complete enigma, and, in their current position, quite irrelevant, she decided, taking between her teeth his earlobe and her hands raking over his body frantically. His heavy breaths accompanied her gasp as he parted her wet folds and plunged his finger into her cunt, continuing adding them and pumping with steady rhythm when he saw the breathtaking woman before him hitch her breath and widen her eyes, grasping with shaky hands his arms to meet his awaiting lips in a crushing hazy kiss. She nibbled on his lower lip as her palms massaged his erect cock. He once more nuzzled her neck and bit it, before parting widely her willing legs and positioning his cock at her entrance. “Stay. Mine” he panted, with extreme tenderness and yet roughness which made her even more flushed, and firmness drifting just under the surface. It was not a question. She jerked her head, a bit bewildered, then smiled at vulnerability in his eyes. “Staying. Yours.” At these words he sinked deeply in her, hearing her small scream of mixed pleasure and pain. He thrusted into her, quickly coming to a steady rhythm. He felt her sweaty palms on his equally sweaty back, urging him to move faster, deeper, nails scratching his back fiercely. With a grunt and a shudder and “Sakura!” on his lips he came, as the pleasure overtook him, and her arching her back and her half-lidded eyes shining, mouth spilling his name in a cry.
Panting, they laid on his soft bed, Gaara carefully bringing her to meet his body, his masculine arms circling her waist protectively. A sigh of contentment escaped her lips, and she slipped her eyes shut, snuggling closer and started gentle stroking his red hair. The deep warm slumber started to overtake her senses…
“Soooo…you hadn’t accepted Dogboy’s invitation…? And you hadn’t met anyone?” he muttered before pressing his lips to top of her head.
She opened lazily her eyes.
“*Kiba’s* invitation, you mean?” she corrected him cheekily. “Well, yes, I did, to tell the truth.”
His grip on her tightened abruptly. He waited anxiously for her to continue.
“Do you have ANY idea how many weddings to I have attended lately? For example, Inuzuka’s. I never imagined for HIM to be The One for Ino, but they’re equally bitchy and he is good in sack. So I have heard, of course.” She smirked looking directly into his eyes.
“Not as good as one red-haired man of my dreams I know, though.”
He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he held.

And although they would be spending time with the other mostly sleeping, he was sure it will work, just as she was not willing to let it go. She wanted to prove the fairy tale was wrong after all, and they said she was as tenacious as Naruto.
“Sleep now, I’ll sleep later, love,” he said softly, nuzzling her neck.
And so she slept.

FIN