Iron in my Mouth (Gaara love Story)

Chapter 9- Warmth and Desert Flowers

(RECAP)

Every now and the we would pull away, breaths mixing, and then mine hitching each time he leaned in again. He bit at my lip, coaxing a soft, secret moan from the back of my throat. Finally, after what seemed like hours but most likely wasn't long at all, he wrapped his arms around me and rested his head on top of mine. "Sleep," he said, pressing his lips to my forehead. I could only nod as I fought to keep awake. Gone were any thoughts of purple eyes and sharp teeth, or the way my friends looked when I said goodbye.

I had left my own life behind, and now what occupied my thoughts and mind was the red haired boy intwined in my arms.

I would never ever leave his side, or say goodbye.

(END RECAP)

-AKIRA'S POV-

There was warmth.

I felt it melting over my body, wrapped around me like a child under a kotatsu. This warmth was different than any I had ever felt before. This warmth moved, it moved my heart and my body closer.

I opened my eyes to greet the warmth, which brushed back my curls and pressed a kiss to my neck. The warmth spoke to me, gravelly voice soft in these quiet hours.

"Gaara?"

"Hn?"

He continued to kiss me.

"Do you love me?"

He tensed, drawing his head back in surprise.  I had blindsided him, I knew, and ached to take the question back as soon as it left my lips, to pluck it from where it hung in the air. I shifted to try and see his expression- but we had woken in the dead of night, with no light filtering through the curtains, so all I could see was the faint glow of his eyes.

He pulled me to his chest and ran his fingers through my hair, "I feel like I'm seeing the sun for the first time."

I lifted my head and planted a kiss on his chin. He swooped down and captured me in his affection, and for the rest of the night I drowned in my own name.

*-*

The warmth was gone when I woke next.

I shot up and whirled around, breaths quickening. Afternoon light poured through the window and the door lay slightly ajar. I slid off the bed and felt warm tile beneath my feet, and then I did the only thing I could think of: I ran out into the hall.

I sprinted to Gaara's room, flinging the door open. A quick scan told me it was empty, and I ran into every other room in the hall, procuring gasps and wide eyes. Winding corridors left me breathless, panic flowing through my veins. What if he's dead? What if he had to leave? What if he decided he wanted to leave me? Did I do something wrong?

Tears stung at my eyes as I mulled over everything that I had ever said to him, anything that could've made him leave. I stumbled blindly through two double doors as my emotions spilled over, and I screamed.

"GAARA!"

I panted, legs angled away from each other, arms spread open from pushing on the doors, head hung low. I'm sure my hair was a mess too, but I didn't care.

I heard someone clear their throat.

I looked up and felt heat spreading throughout my face. In the room stood Kankuro, Temari, Sazuki, and Gaara. They were standing around a map and seemed to be in the middle of a very important meeting, though their facial expressions said otherwise.

"A-Akira...?" Gaara was, needless to say, quite taken aback.

They all seemed to be awaiting an explanation, and I realized that mere moments before I had shrieked Gaara's name. "Er..." I searched for words, but could get nothing out before I saw Gaara's face redden. Kankuro had put a hand in front of his eyes and the other two seemed to be paralyzed in shock.