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Hello again my Dears! 💙

I decided to upload some older One Shots here too and this one here is my favorite. I wrote it many years ago.

Prepare yourself for some Romance! 💙

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Honestly, this day had been way too long. In Sunagakure, it has been a lot more stressful lately than usual and this had affected the position of the Kazekage more than everyone else. The aftermath of the war was still felt even after all those years, the world was still not 100% healed and the wounds only healed very slowly. And no one sensed these wounds, which were healing very slowly, more than the Kage of the hidden villages.
 
Gaara was exhausted that night for although he and his assistant worked all day without a break, trying to minimize the pile of paperwork to a minimum, but after all there was not a real difference. And that evening the two went to the point where it was really frustrating not to really move forward. For as much patience as he and she had, at some point they always reached a point where the motivation was simply gone.
 
 “That, this and this one”, Reeze said, pushing three thin packets of paper in Gaara's direction. “That still needs to be done urgently ..."
 
Gaara didn´t answer, his eyes just flinging upward when he saw in the corner of his eye how she cradled the papers on his desk more cautiously than firmly. For more than a gentle, yet exhausted, barely recognizable smile, he couldn't make it now, way too much buzzed through the young Kazekage´s head. And many of those things that were whizzing around in his head were also a reason why he could not even face his assistant, when she was so close to him. And for her it wasn´t much better.
 
Reeze has been at Gaaras side for a while now, and since accepting his job it's been months, if not more than already a year. A long time in which the two worked side by side, entrusting themselves to each other, having no secrets from each other. And actually, the whole thing worked very well for many months. At least until one of them began to withdraw mentally, to seal up, and to divulge far less than before.
 
She had known for a while that her feelings for Gaara were no longer just matey.  Even back then, when Gaara made her the offer to be his assistant ... Even then, that was one of the reasons for her long hesitation, a reason for her too long drawn out answer. Because she knew that would happen. She knew that she and Gaara would work closely together, that they would see each other every day, that they had no secrets from each other. And she wanted to prevent by any means that the fear of her feelings was true, she wanted to fight it. And now that was exactly what she had feared - and it was her own fault.
 
She wanted to be close to Gaara on the one hand and on the other hand, on the stronger side, she fought against it with her hands and feet.
And this barrier, this seemingly impenetrable, invisible barrier threatened to drive a wedge between the Kazekage and his assistant. No ... between two people who were close. Closer than either of them ever suspected.
 
“Reeze,  you can go home. It's not that much anymore and you're exhausted”, Gaara said as he signed one of the documents, probably a bit quieter than planned without looking up at her. The two already got along in many ways without having to look at each other.
Reeze, on the other hand, could only smile as she closed her eyes, snuffling a soft laugh as she stood next to him, her arms crossed.
 
“How many times did this attempt work?", she teased playfully, opening one eye and looking down at him. „We end the day together, as always. And if it has to be, then I'm sitting here with you ... all night”, she added afterwards, but after a moment's hesitation she softened slightly and the playful smile on her lips disappeared instantly.
 
With a faint sigh, she finally turned away and that eventually led Gaara to look up from his desk and following her with her eyes, watching her walk to one of the small windows and silently watch the sun go down. The setting sun bathed the room in a dark orange and red colored sea. It was actually a very peaceful moment, in every sense. If there had not been this clearly noticeable, invisible barrier between the two.
 
Gaara watched her for a long time without her noticing. She just stood at the window, arms crossed and staring out the window. And he could just sit there and stare for a few minutes, perhaps not even notice it for a long time. How could he have noticed, even if he did not know exactly what made him stare? Why he just could not look away? Why was this simple, unassuming sight so much more reassuring to him than anything he knew so far?
 
But when she finally moved - did not even turn around - he felt relatively quickly caught and almost panicky his eyes flew from Reeze back to the desk and at first he took a pen in the hand, almost shaky, pretending he would just use it. Gaara knew perfectly well that he would never have been able to lie to Reezé's face, if she asked him about his strange behaviour - in his eyes strange behaviour. So he preferred to use the so peaceful-looking pen as a way out.
 
But only a few seconds after he had felt so caught, had reached for his pen in panic ... Then he began to ask himself more intense than usual, why he behaved like this in her presence.  Only in her presence, in no one else's did he exhibit such behavioural characteristics. And usually he would never have addressed her directly - he did not even dare to talk to anyone else - but now on this peaceful evening ... he had taken a surprising amount of courage in himself.
 
Very slowly, he put the pen aside again and even before he looked up, he stared for a moment at his papers, without actually reading them. The words were on his tongue, almost out of doors ... Why was it so difficult to ask a simple question? But ... he just had to know.
He didn´t want this silence any more, for reasons unknown to him he could not stand this barrier which was clearly noticeable to him, between them for a long time. Why did she always close herself in front of him when a situation became more familiar? Why did she turn away from him even before he could deepen a conversation what was not easy for him anyway? It was a mystery to him ...
 
“Reeze?", he asked a little more uncertainly and quietly than planned in the room, had not looked up from his desk yet. “I would like to ask you something. Something ... that has nothing to do with the work, I think”, it almost bursted out of him.
 
It was as if a wild dog had been let off the leash and the words just came out of his mouth - although he wanted to pause after the word "something". The rest was just ... slipped afterwards. Maybe he wanted to reassure her and himself - but it did the opposite.
 
Reeze had already turned to face him and looked at him with mixed emotions. The two rarely talked about things that had nothing to do with the work and for some reason, his question made her a bit ... nervous? Especially because he didn't look at her directly. His facial expressions and gestures ... were strange. For her it seemed like he wanted to look at her and couldn´t. These two were in many ways probably just too similar ...
 
“Do you know the feeling when you feel more comfortable near one person than in the presence of everyone else?”, Gaara asked, finally managing to look up at her and finally meeting her eyes. And while Reezé probably gasped for just too softly in the air and loosened her folded arms, Gaara held her gaze. His words were uttered; he could not take them back. Now he was more than ever eager for her answer, if he had any to expect. In his eyes, she had every conceivable right to deny him the answer. But…
 
“Well ...", she started softly and wanted to ask him how he came to this question, but she wanted to explain it to him. „Yes, I know this feeling very well. Maybe better as you can imagine," she responded, and Gaara's facial expressions did not change, at least at first. He almost seemed brief ... relieved?
 
“How do you define that feeling?”, he asked after giving the "conversation" a short break. But when Reeze lowered her eyes ...
“You do not have to answer, I just wanted-…”
 
“No, it's okay”, she said quickly, interrupting him and bringing his sentence to an abrupt halt. And for a moment Gaara thought she saw a barely recognizable, sad smile on her lips. „It´s hard to explain…”
 
“Is there any person in whose presence you felt that way?", he asked now, beginning to literally and unconsciously pervert that he was throwing his previous question out of the room, he was not even clear.
 
Much too great was the curiosity for the answer of the new question, whose origin he could not even really define. But now ... now Reeze looked away again and looked out of the window, the last, dark sunbeams had almost disappeared over the horizon. And it felt like a lump in Raziéla's neck because ... she had never talked to Gaara about it. Never ... about him.
 
“Akio," Reeze suddenly said out of nowhere and Gaara gave a weak jerk, taking a deep silent breath.
 
Gaara knew how Akio and Reeze stood to each other. He knew the story of the two, the pack told him about it a few months ago.
But Gaara also knew that Akio's death was the reason for the drastic change in the woman who stood before him. He knew that she loved him with all her heart before he was tragically taken away from her. That she then closed her heart to the world, gave no one any more insight into her heart. And Gaara never spoke to her, dared not. He knew about the pack that in her presence it was never allowed to talk about him.
 
But it was all the more puzzling that she freely said his name and confessed to him openly and honestly that she had the same feelings for Akio as Gaara did had inside him when he was in her presence... That she had that feeling with Akio, the man who ... Wait, should that mean ...?
 
But even before Gaara had even the chance to think, Reeze continued with her words.
 
“Such a feeling is always associated with other feelings”, she said, speaking very quietly and Gaara could only see how the grip of her crossed arms solidified, as she pressed her fingernails lightly into the outside of her upper arm. Gaara wanted to get up, wanted to tell her that she did not have to talk about it but on the other hand, he almost felt honored that she spoke of Akio in his presence for the first time. She seemed to trust him so much ...
 
“You feel safe in the presence of the person, safe, and when that person is with you, everything seems so familiar. You want to keep everything negative away from the person ... and even though she does not even do anything, you feel like you have everything you need”, she started to say, holding a low, almost sad tone. “It feels good ... Just because this person is there. The person starts to be everything for you. A fellow, a friend ... a lover.”
 
Gaara listened to her silently and the more she told, the more helpless he felt. Because pretty much everything she told him about her experience ... suited the feelings he felt when he was near her, when they were close and talking to each other.
 
He rose quietly from his chair, took a small step toward her, but stopped when she started to speak again.
 
“And if you just think about losing the person”, she said, suddenly more brittle, “it was like I had lost the ground under my feet. If you feel it all for one person, everything would do for you ... and then ... and then ...”
 
Gaara swallowed heavy as he saw Reeze tremble slightly. He had absolutely no idea how he should react to her now, he had never been in such a situation! But ... to see how hard it was for her to talk about it... how much she had entrusted to him ... Gaara could not stand by and watch her speak and suffer. Of course, on the one hand he was honored that she had suddenly entrusted so much to him, but he would never have accepted it at their expense. But - he was sure of that now - he liked her too much.
 
“Reeze, you don´t have to ...", he said as he took the next step towards her. And he did not leave it like that, as he approached her slowly and deliberately. Because unlike usual, she did not turn away, she just stood there at the window and Gaara took every courage he could muster now. The sun had already set and only the light of the lamp lit the room, very weak only.
 
When he finally reached her and stood almost directly behind her, she lowered her eyes. She had never spoken to anyone about it since that day, and now that it was pronounced she felt even guiltier. He had no idea that she felt the same for him. That she was tormented day and night by the thought of his loss and ... that this was one of the reasons for her withdrawal from him. But now they had come this far, had talked about such things for the first time ... She could not hold back now.
 
But even before Gaara could say a thing…
 
“I accepted his Death”, she said, and Gaara's eyes flickered up to the back of her head. “But the feeling of loss ... The feeling that I felt the moment he died ... That endless empty, this huge nothing ... That's what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid I'll disappear again if I ... lose you”, Reeze said, saying nothing after her last words. „I can´t…“
 
Gaara's eyes widened slowly as he watched Raziela's crossed arms tighten even more. Did she just tell him that she ... Did she have that feeling she was talking about ... to him? Just as Gaara carried these new feelings in himself? Actually, the answer was obvious because she had just told him. She was in love with Akio ... No, she loved and lost him and she could not do it a second time. Did that mean that she ...
 
“I ... really like being close to you, Reeze ...", Gaara said suddenly - standing directly behind her and staring at the back of her head. “I´ve never felt anything like this, it´s completely uncharted territory for me and until now I did not even have an idea of where this feeling comes from or what it means. But ... your words”, he paused, hoping inwardly that she would turn to him.
 
She slowly turned his head to him, almost scared that he was so close to her. Sure, the two were close to each other while they worked, but ... not in this way. At first she kept her eyes lowered and did not dare to lift them. Only his next words made her look up, hesitantly and cautiously she looked him in the eyes. It seemed impossible to say anything about it, she was completely overwhelmed and surprised by Gaara's words, they seemed to numb her and she could not even move.
 
“Do you also like being close… to me?”, was his next question, this time much quieter. Gaara had no idea if his words were right, after all he did not know anything about it! He did not know what would make her happy or what would scare her, so he only could watch her reactions – and they were not that numerous. He just did what his heart told him. For that reason alone, somewhere inside, he knew that was right.
 
Carefully Gaara raised a hand and his fingers reached a strand of her hair that hung on her shoulders. Only then did he realize that he had never touched her hair before. Maybe he just imagined it, but ... in his fingers, her hair felt wonderfully smooth and soft and he could not help, but play with this strand of hair a moment, completely distracted by it before the movements of his fingers slowed again and he raised his eyes, looked in her eyes again.
 
Both of them looked each other in the eye for a while, without even saying a word. Reeze tried to calm her down as well as possible and ... a voice in her warned her that she should not allow all of this. But the other voice which was otherwise much weaker advised her to allow this situation. Her heart told her so much in the moment, but in summary it meant something like, “Stay ..."
 
And even before she could think about an answer, Gaara raised both hands. He laid one hand hesitantly on her neck, with the other he stroked a strand of her face. He had no idea if that was right ... he followed his heart.
 
Finally the second hand was also on her neck, he carefully ran a thumb over her chin, the approach of her cheeks. And finally, as if by magic he leaned forward, looked at her and pressed his lips to hers. It was a very brief, examining touch that made his cheeks a little more colourful.
 
Reeze, on the other hand, was about to lose consciousness. Her eyes were wide open as the lips of the two briefly touched. The touch was really gentle as if he was afraid to hurt her. And he left her as quickly, so she assumed ... that he did not know if what he had done was right. He had no idea how right it was ...
 
The next touch followed very quick. It was not long before Reezé approached him slowly and cautiously, barely moving forward. After all it was Gaara who came closer to her this time much faster and pressed his lips much harder on hers than before. He had little control over what he thought, about what he did. It was as if his body were moving by itself.
 
But for Reeze it was not much better. Her face was almost as red as Gaara's hair and she had to keep her eyes open a few times, making sure she did not dream this. And as the reality slowly, but surely sank into her brain, she hesitantly put both hands to his neck until she finally wrapped her arms around him, keeping him close to him, leaving him no way backward. And slowly but surely she closed her eyes and gave in to the tingling sensation that spread throughout her body.
 
Gaara almost did not realize he was getting too demanding. He puffed after a few seconds and was only too happy to give up a little more of his breath to make the kiss even more protracted. Again and again his lips searched for hers, when they had parted briefly and after some time he even dared to do a bit more. Carefully he pushed the tip of his tongue against her lower lip, which made Reezé open her eyes for a moment. But a moment later her tongue tips met at first very gentle and playful, then a bit more demanding.
 
Only when Gaara began to press Reeze lightly against the wall behind her, she interrupt the kiss - which did not cost her little willpower. Her hands were resting on his chest as he puffed his forehead against hers, keeping his eyes lowered. For Gaara, this situation was completely overwhelming. He had never been so close to anyone – physically and emotionally - and he already believed he was addicted to Raziela's closeness. Now that they had kissed each other ... closer to each other than ever before. And Gaara - and also Reezé - were completely humiliated.
 
But as he was about to start talking, already took a breath and started ... he saw how she closed her eyes and how a tear ran down her cheek. She cried ... and Gaara had absolutely no idea why. He was completely helpless and did not know how to react - and on the other hand it tore his heart to see her like that. She had never cried in his presence, he knew how much she hated revealing her innermost self to the outside world. He often wished she would open up to him more, but ... no, not like that.
 
“Whats wrong, Reeze?”, he asked cautiously, putting a hand to her cheek and catching the tear that threatened to fall off with her thumb. “Did I ... say or do something wrong, did I hurt you? I am so-…"
 
“No, it's not your fault”, she said quickly and quietly in a fragile voice. Reeze quickly closed her eyes and although she wanted to free herself from his grip at first, she did not resist. Nevertheless, she kept her eyes lowered.
 
“I ... know that feeling of which you spoke. I felt that way with him at that time”, she began very quietly and Gaara watched her listening attentively. “And ... I feel the same ... I feel the same for you and I don´t know if I can let it happen again", she confessed to him and Gaara blinked confused for a moment before answering.
 
“Is that why you have distanced yourself so much from me lately?”
 
“Yes ... I ... I just can´t stand the thought of losing you in the same way as him. I was so sure then that I would never again allow myself to fall in love ... And then we meet and everything turns upside down”, she explained with slightly arched eyebrows and Gaara became quite rigid for a moment.
 
Did she just tell him that she had fallen in love with him? He did not understand much, but ... was that the feeling he had felt for some time when she was near him? Could it be that for the first time in his entire life ...?
 
But Gaara could not answer with words. Even before she could pronounce the next sentence, he leaned forward and gave her another, longer, intense kiss before slowly releasing her and taking a deep breath before speaking.
 
“I don´t know what that means to us, but ... I don´t want that silence and distance anymore. I want that we have no secrets from each other ... I want to be close to you, want to hold you like this, want to… kiss you", he began softly and Reece lifted his eyes, saw how his cheeks were colored, if only weak. “I'm not familiar with that, I'm in completely new terrain ... But if I know one thing, then that we both really like each other."
 
Reeze snorted a barely audible, quiet laugh and briefly lowered her eyes and nothing could have calmed Gaara more than this little gesture. He could only smile shyly for a moment before continuing.
 
“You wont lose me, Reeze”, he said, and Reece took a deep breath. He had no idea how much that phrase meant to her, and almost it brought tears to her eyes again. “I don´t know how it will continue with us, how it will continue or should continue, but ... I don´t want this to be an isolated case."
 
Now it was Reeze who gently put a hand to the back of his head and pulled him close before kissing him gently. It was a short and gentle touch, almost like the first, short kiss they had shared that night. And yet it was enough to make the hearts of both of them romp ... For Gaara it was a very different feeling to be kissed by her than to kiss her on his own. Accordingly it was difficult for him to let go of her again.
 
“I don´t t know if I can, but ...", she swallowed, took a deep breath and looked into his eyes, when they were still so close. “I want to be with you, Gaara ... that way I feel for you ... that's been going on for a few months, you know”, she confessed softly, closing her eyes as their foreheads touched again. She saw Gaara snorting a soft, barely recognizable or audible laugh, which was probably the best laugh that could be expected of Gaara.
 
“I'm … really not familiar with that”, he began softly, holding her undivided attention. “I don´t know if I can and you may not always have it easy. I ... don´t have as much time as other men would have for you. This is completely new territory for me ... But ... I want to learn it. I want to learn it from you ... "
 
Reeze really began to doubt her perception. How could she ever be so lucky? She was haunted by misfortune, suffering, and bad luck all these years ... And she thought she had fallen in love with the Kazekage, thinking that she would never have a future with him, that she was only one of many to him. For all eternity she wanted to keep these feelings to herself and hoped that eventually they would simply pass away.
 
But there they stood now, both completely exhausted and beside the trail after they had revealed their feelings. They held each other's arms, enjoying the silence for a moment and letting things happen. But they both knew one thing ... one more, the other less: they wanted to be together. She with him and ... he with her. Was this, after all these years, finally the new beginning which she so badly needed ...? It was so unreal to her that she did not knew if she could let it happen.
 
But the next moment Gaara gave her a little kiss, which immediately brought her back to fainting. After that he stepped back half a step and reached for one of her long strands of hair again. He could not do anything about it, somehow ... he loved to touch her hair and, above all, that he may touch it. He almost lost himself in that feeling again, but in time he caught himself again and looked up at her.
 
“It's getting late”, he said quietly, turning his head to his desk. “We should really break up for today. I will take you home."
 
„You don´t have to…”
 
„I want it, though.”
 
Gaara's voice was firm and yet very gentle as he interrupted her and Reeze blinked a few times, startled. However, there was no real decision to go home alone and be brought by Gaara ... So she was beaten very quickly.