Gaara x Sakura

~Ep 8 ~

Sakura stopped to rest that evening and get something to eat. Since she had regained her strength, the kunoichi had placed her prisoner in genjutsu. It was better than just continuing to knock him unconscious. The better shape he was in, the better Ibiki could rip his mind to shreds. They would discover one of Orochimaru's hideouts. Sakura frowned and placed her prisoner on the ground next to her and pulled her back off her shoulder. She had stopped by a small village to eat. There would be about two more hours of travel and then it home sweet home. Sakura couldn't wait to take a warm bath and wash her hair. It smelled bad.

Sakura sat. She pulled out a small container of smoked meat and vegetables along with a gourd of water she had gotten from a small family owned shop. She could smell the delicious seasonings wafting from the closed container and her mouth watered. Her stomach growled in protest because she hadn't bitten into it yet. Sakura glanced up when she detected Gaara and frowned.

She opened her meal and asked, "What do you want? I don't need saving right now."

The One stood near a large tree with his arms crossed over his chest, a blank look on his face. "You seem like a mortal who places herself in harm's way."

Sakura's face turned red with anger. "Just go away! I don't want you around me!"

Her outburst elicited no reaction from Gaara. He blinked and responded, "I would not be here if I didn't have to. You are an irritating human."

The nerve of this guy! She jumped to her feet and ran towards the asshole, raising her fist and channeling chakra into it.

"Don't toy with me!"

Gaara dodged and her fist smashed through the tree, the force so strong, it got uprooted and thrown twenty feet. Sakura whirled around, coral hair fanning out around her face. Her emerald orbs flashed with anger and when she saw the still blank look on that bastard's face, it threw her into a rage. She ran towards him again and slammed her fists into the hard earth, causing it to break into large chunks and rise from its place as if an earthquake had shattered the land. Gaara jumped into the air and his sand surrounded him, allowing him to stay suspended in the air until the quaking earth subsided.

He's not getting off that easy.

Sakura ran up the tall trees, bounding from branch to branch until she was at the top and launched herself from it. She had enough of this nonsense and if this guy didn't get the hint, she would beat it into him. Sakura didn't care if he was a celestial being; she'd kick his ass.

Such a display intrigued Gaara. Had this been any other human, he would have used his sand to break her slender neck. This woman infuriated him; she didn't comprehend he could kill her like an insect.

"Stop this," he said as he caught her with a whirl of sand.

Her eyes widened when she catapulted towards him, back first, and halted against his chest. His arms wrapped around her like chains.

"Get your hands off me!" she yelled as she tried to break free.

She was using an immense amount of strength, but Gaara's arms didn't loosen. She struggled harder, trying everything from kicking until she got so frustrated, she tried to bite him. Gaara was more than amused. He enjoyed witnessing her rage. This little wench was giving him a hard time, and she needed to get it into her thick, stubborn skull he didn't want to be around her either.

Sakura continued to struggle until she was exhausted.

"Are you finished?"

"Fuck you," came her smart reply.

The hairs on her neck stood up as Gaara's breath fanned over the back of her neck. A tingling sensation followed and Sakura felt her cheeks burning.

"You need to watch your temper. You'll get yourself killed," Gaara said. "Now, are you ready for me to release you, or are you going to rampage like a child again?"

That comment made her blood boil, but Sakura decided he wasn't worth it. Plus, she wanted to get out of his embrace. It made her feel awkward.

"I'm done now let me go."

Gaara dropped her like a rock. She channeled chakra into her feet and landed in the uprooted ground. What a jerk! The angry woman looked up to give the One the worst tongue lashing of his life, but he disappeared. Blowing her bangs out of her face in annoyance, Sakura looked around for her prisoner. She had used up a lot of chakra trying to fight Gaara and she knew the genjutsu wouldn't hold for much longer. She found him lying on a pile of rubble about ten feet away, his eyes still glazed over and a scratch down the side of his face.

Sakura jogged towards him, bent down, reached for her pack next to Hideki and pulled out a rope. She channeled chakra into the rope and hog-tied him. With his hands and feet tied together, Hideki would only injure himself trying to break himself free. Sakura stood and released the genjutsu and watched and Hideki blinked. Bleary eyes glanced around before landing on his captor. The expression vanished, and a smile crossed his thin lips.

"If you think you'll be able to get any information from me, you're mist-"

Sakura's fist connecting with the top of his head cut his sentence short. "Shut up, you idiot."

The blow knocked the man unconscious and Sakura searched for her dinner she'd discarded. The kunoichi frowned when she saw the container open and the contents splattered all over the ground. The ground around her water canteen showed it ruptured. Damn it, Sakura was ravenous after that extensive use of chakra. Well, it looked like she had to continue the journey and make it home. If she hurried, she may make it to her favorite steakhouse before it closed. Sakura exhaled and hauled Hideki onto her shoulder. She couldn't wait to get rid of this burden.

The kunoichi smiled when she saw the welcoming gates of her home village. It was clear it had just rained, and that upset her. Thunderstorms helped her relax in a way nothing else did. She stepped around puddles and frowned at the squishing sound underneath her feet. She looked down to see her shoes had a great deal of mud on them. Cleaning up never sounded appealing than after a mission.