Gaara's Goddess

"Just let me go!"

Her friends and family were gone. The world was dark and even as the sun illuminated the small part of the world they existed in, through the broken windows and neglected walls, the reality of the situation had hit her.

But. She was crazy if she thought he would let her go. Gaara had lived too long and fought too hard to just let her slip through his fingers. He would take her choice from her if it meant she would never leave him.

"I won't let you die."

She cried and she pummelled his chest and screamed that she hated him but Gaara knew better. He remembered a time when she warmed his bed. When all she saw was him. She was just angry and tired and grieving. She didn't mean it.

So he held her. He couldn't and wouldn't let her jump into that fire. Not without him. And not at all. Sprawled out on the floor of their new home away from home, where he'd brought her when everything had fallen down around them, Sakura had given into the dark thoughts.

With his arms around her body she could not finish what she'd started. He knew from the way she slumped against him, fighting and giving up at the same time, that he was what she really needed right now. But she had not given up trying to push him away.

"Leave me alone," she hissed. "I don't-" she hiccupped and his kissed her temple.

"You do," he whispered. "You need me as I need you. Let me help you, Sakura."

The damn broke. She kissed him. And Gaara swallowed her whole. She fought and scratched and tore through his sand armour and he let her. He took her hard against the ceramic floor just as she liked it, giving his angel what she needed. To feel and to have someone to take everything out on.

"My love," he would whisper.

"Fuck you," she would growl.

But Sakura always came back to him. She loved him.

"You are not going to leave me," he told her afterwards. "Not when I finally see who you are."

And she cried again, sobbing into his arms and he held her to his heart. Naked, flushed and vulnerable.

He owed Naruto. He owed all of Team 7. But he would not let them have Sakura. Not now. Not ever. Gaara would keep her alive, even if it ruined their memory.

You are the love of my life.

"Why didn't you tell me you met THE Gaara Sabaku?!?!"

Sakura regretted answering her front door. Ino swept past her and headed straight into the kitchen.

"We're going to need alcohol for this!" She called.

Sakura closed the door and followed, bracing herself. Okay, who was this Sabaku she mentioned and what was with the screeching?

"What are you talking about?"

Ino groaned and tossed a copy of the Konoha Times to her. They still published physical copies and many people in town didn't subscribe to local magazines and papers online anyway.

"Have a look at your mug," Ino said, her head now buried in Sakura's kitched cupboards. "Front page and centre, bitch."

LOCAL WOMAN ROMANCES FAMOUS NAME.

She blinked down at the sensational title. Sakura had no idea who he was.

"Gaara." Her friend's voice was softer. She'd found the hard liquor.

Sakura blinked.

"The idol."

Sakura twisted her lips and scrunched up her forehead in confusion, even with the evidence right in front of her.

Ino blinked at her. "Gaara... only the biggest new face in J-Pop right now!"

Sakura sighed. "You know I don't listen to that rubbish, Ino."

She winced as Ino screeched again, forgetting her inside voice. Sakura remembered the incident that her friend and the papers were referring to.

It happened two days ago on a business trip out of Konoha City.

Rain in Tokyo was heavy and could last for days. It rained the whole time she was there. Sakura loved the rain when it pelted on her window and made her want hot food, not when her umbrella broke and she was drenched. People passed by, some glancing at her but most ignoring her. A crowd had gathered but it wasn't for her.

"Here miss."

His voice sent a tremble through her body and she felt warmer as he stepped close to her. Sakura looked up as the rain seemed to stop. A red haired man was holding a bright red umbrella over her head. Sharing with her.

He smiled down at her. Normally if a guy took liberties with her Sakura would knee him or something. She kept pepper spray handy and knew how to defend herself. But his smile was disarming and he really was helping her.

"Where are we headed?"

A camera flash. She didn't register it. She pointed to the hotel across the road dumbly and the man nodded, steering them both through the busy crowds. People were watching them and gaping. She could only feel the warmth of him when he accidentally brushed against her. Too close. But not unwelcomed.

They didn't talk but he was watching her like she was watching him.

"My admirers will kill you if I stay but," the man pulled out a business card. "Here, if you ever need help again I'll be more than happy to come running."

His fingers brushed hers as she thanked him stupidly.

He'd left his number and his name and she hadn't stopped thinking about him. Sakura knew that Ino would rib her so she hadn't said anything.

But.

Back to the present, Sakura blinked heavily at Ino. Should she call him? She didn't need to. He lived in a completely different city but..

No. Maybe. Yes. I don't know!

She furrowed her brow, staring at the picture of herself in the Konoha Times.

And with a caption where Gaara had been quoted when the journalists asked about her:

"I hope she calls me."

"Marry me."

"Happy birthday!"

They both said at the same time.

Sakura blinked. Gaara blinked. It was almost funny. Okay, a little funny. She was lying back on their bed, naked. He had just come into their room, heavy from the weight of his work day. Kazekage robes. The hat. Not a scrap of clothing missing. They were in equal opposites.

She sat up slowly and his eyes trailed over her as she moved to the edge of the bed.

It was supposed to be a surprise. She was ready. Naked. Waiting. On their bed. Happy birthday sex. It wasn't supposed to be a proposal.

Awkwardness filled the room. He'd said "marry me" upon seeing her naked on their bed but she'd been planning his birthday surprise for weeks. It only started with sex. It was supposed to end at the new night club, Rain and Rouge.

And then come back to sex later, if he was up for it.

Sakura didn't know what to say. She'd never found herself like this before.

Like Gaara, she'd felt alone as a child. She was forgotten by classmates and under Ino's shadow during their friendship. Even when loved and praised, Sakura's name was an after-mention next to her friends and their accomplishments.

Of course things would change when she became the centre of Gaara's world. Nobody had ever seen her like this before. She was suddenly the only light in the room. They hadn't had sex for a month and she was beginning to think he didn't want it anymore. But the look on his face told another story.

We should have talked about this first.

Sakura could see his brain short circuit as he tried to speak. His hat fell off and he kicked off his shoes, shrugging off his outer robes mechanically. Did he realise what he'd said?

Or what I said?

"Marry me," he repeated, the words popping out of his mouth and he couldn't stop them. Gaara had apparently decided he was all in now. He took a deep breath, almost like she wasn't still naked and staring at him, her jaw dropping. "I... have a ring and everything."

Blushing and fumbling, Gaara bent down to retrieve his robes and began searching through the pockets. His Kazekage clothes always came with pockets. It made her jealous because Suna fashion hadn't included it in the local outfits she wore. If they hadn't been specially designed for Suna weather, Sakura would still be wearing her Konoha outfits, out of spite.

But to the matter at hand.

Sakura blinked heavily at him and scooted forward, now a little self-conscious to be naked when he finally proposed. This wasn't going according to plan. But she recovered first, standing and tugging the Kazekage robes out of his hands once he'd recovered the ring box which she was to believe held an engagement ring inside.

She wasn't ready for this.

Sakura pulled his robes over herself, smiling as Gaara watched her. His face had morphed from shock and nerves to something deeper. More primal.

"Fuck."

The fifth Kazekage wasn't known to cuss. Sakura was one of the few that had ever heard him swear.

"Yes," she agreed. "Lets."

"I.. uh..." He was fiddling with the ring box.

"Gaara?"

"Sakura."

"It's okay."

He blinked, and then opened the box. Her eyes were drawn to the emerald stone and pink gems that lined the band.

"Marry me, Sakura."

Okay, so her plan was ruined but it was okay. This was the happiest day of her life.

Sakura threw herself at him. "Yes!"

She could feel embarrassed about everything later. He caught her easily, arms snaking around her waist as she fell on him. But they didn't fall to the floor. Gaara spun them around and gently pushed her onto the bed before kneeling before her, eyes flickered down her exposed form once more.

"Here."

She let him place the ring on the correct finger, running her other hand along his and humming. Then she scooted backwards, letting him climb onto the bed and hover over her, his body encasing hers.

Gaara pressed his lips to hers and she shifted her hips to grind against him. After a whole month, she was too horny to care about any plan anymore. His hands were everywhere and she was kissing him back so harshly that Gaara had to pull away for a moment to breathe before diving in again.

"Happy birthday," she murmured into his mouth and Gaara chuckled.

They could figure out a more romantic story for their friends regarding their engagement later.