The Dragon of the Sand

Cold Sweat

My eyes flew open, scanning the darkness around me for a hint of what was happening. My heart was racing and I could feel sweat forming on my forehead. As my vision adjusted, I started to realize where I was. I turned my attention to the presence next to me, a tangle of limbs and fabric wrapped around me.

Gaara...

I remembered crying in his room the night before about my encounter with Orochimaru. He insisted that I stay with him until morning. I had curled up next to my boyfriend, though I struggled to fall asleep. Now I laid practically under him, his arms wrapped loosely around me and his head rested in the crook of my neck. I could feel his warm breath slowly drift across my skin, a soothing comfort to know I was safe in reality.

The cause of my previous panic was Orochimaru's eyes and flickering tongue haunting me in my dreams. I stared at the ceiling for several minutes, hoping I could drift back to sleep. Unfortunately, I couldn't shake the feeling at the back of my mind. Carefully removing myself from Gaara's embrace, I made my way to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"I need some fresh air." I muttered, running my fingers through my hair. With a sigh, I crept through the building, my senses on high alert for... anything. I finally arrived at the exit that led to the roof.

I sat for several hours in the cool night, casually observing the moon and the minor bits of life that skittered around under its light. As the sun started to rise, the door creaked open, quiet footsteps shuffling out.

"Good morning, love." I called out, my eyes focused on the street below. Gaara'a arms gently wrapped around me as he placed a kiss on the top of my head.

"Good morning. What are you doing up here?" He asked, letting his chin rest where he placed the kiss.

I shrugged in response, leaning back into his chest. "Couldn't sleep. You used to come here when you couldn't, thought I'd give it a try."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"You looked peaceful. I'm impressed I didn't wake you when I got up." I offered a small laugh, but it wasn't backed by any true joy.

Gaara sighed, his hold tightening slightly. "I felt you move, though I thought you were going to the restroom or the kitchen. Guess I fell asleep before I knew you were back... I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Not checking on you. I assumed-"

I chuckled softly, turning around to face him. "Gaara, don't be silly. First of all, you haven't had any proper sleep in years, I don't fault you for falling asleep. Second, you don't have to worry about me. I'm alright."

Gaara remained silent, his eyes scouring my face. He then leaned forward, planting another kiss on my forehead. "It's my job to worry about you. Especially with Orochimaru lurking around. Besides that, I would be a terrible partner if I didn't ensure you were alright."

"I'm fine. Promise. Just a bad dream." I stated, standing up and leading the way back inside. Gaara followed, though he didn't say anything. I could tell he wasn't convinced, but I refused to talk about the subject any further. "Shall we have breakfast?" I continued, changing the subject from me.

Gaara sighed, lightly gripping my hand as we walked. "Yes, but it'll have to be quick. I have a meeting soon with the elders."

"Can I come?"

"It's boring. Related to the city's economy and-"

"Never mind, I'll pass."

"I figured you'd say that." Gaara smiled softly, squeezing my hand slightly. "I'll be done by this evening. Why don't you go find something fun to do? I'll take you to our gazebo tonight, hm?"

I could feel myself perk up when he mentioned the gazebo. We usually went there for our special dates since it was outside of the city walls. I adored the oasis and the beautiful palms and shrubbery that grew around it. Not to mention the fond memories we shared there.

"Very well. See you this evening, love." I agreed, exchanging a quick kiss before leading Gaara off to breakfast.

***

I spent the day tending to my weapons and metal, ensuring that everything was in perfect condition. It had been a while since I had maintained my ninja gear and it was a productive way to take my mind off of Orochimaru.

The day seemed to pass quickly and soon it was time for me to meet Garda for our little trip to the gazebo. A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Come in." I stated as I polished a blade with sharp precision. Gaara entered the room, gently closing the door behind him. "Ah, ready to go?"

I smiled brightly, but the joy seeped away as I saw the grim expression on Gaara's face.

"I'm sorry, Madi. We're gonna have to reschedule our date." He apologized with a deep frown.

"What? Why?"

Gaara sighed, running his fingers through his bright hair as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "You've been assigned a mission."

"Tch. Really?" I rolled my eyes. "You assign the missions, can't you just give this to someone else?"

"Nope. I trust you the most. Besides, the elders specifically ordered you for this assignment."

I groaned, dropping the blade I was working on to drag my hands down my face. "This is ridiculous. Fine. What's the mission?"

"Escort me."

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(A/N)

Hey everyone so I have edited this page bc I had a new idea that I would prefer to follow. I hope you enjoy the new path! I'll hopefully have the next update soon.

-moundy-