Chapter 13

With the new day Kagome opened her eyes feeling sluggish and worn down as she faced the front of the tent hearing the water crashing against the shore. From the soft breaths behind her she could hear Gaara still sleeping without issue while her mind fell to turmoil. To be rejected even way out here was less than enthusing but the people at this post still mean a lot to him so she felt obligated to still do what he expects of her. From so many years of being able to easily make friends she still couldn't adjust to having such a hard time making even one. The only one rooting for her is Gaara and she is really beginning to question why and if his feelings really run as deep for her as he believes them to.

Either way for everything she has done wrong it would do him no favors to shirk her own duties. Dreading the day but still wanting to earn her keep she made her way out of the tent, getting ready for another day in the desert climate and running ideas through her mind. By the time anyone else was up or even aware of her being awake she had cooked a hearty breakfast, creating her own breakfast burrito and walking outside to sit under the window to listen in for a short time. The aroma had gotten them out of their beds and curious enough to come out to the kitchen where she soon heard them enthusiastically greet their Lord. She had successfully created a time for them to all enjoy each other's company and chat with the Kazekage. Duplicating this success a few times shouldn't be too hard.

The laughter and cheer inside tugged at her insides so having heard enough she left, taking the sand staircase down to the shore where she sat eating her food in the peace of an early morning.

Gaara on the other hand was surprised Kagome managed to walk off without his notice and cook them all the morning meal. Everyone had a place to sit minus one; the one responsible for all this hard work was absent somehow. No one was concerned or even brought up who made the meal yet he knows her cooking anywhere. Puzzled he wasn't sure why she once again chose to not participate. Withholding a sigh he felt determined to figure out where she disappeared to, he can't grow a stronger bond with her if he can't even spend time with her.

"Lord Gaara, tell us of the time you saved Matsuri after she was abducted," one of the guys requested getting a round of nodding heads. Taking another bite of his food and then a sip of tea he started in with that day more than a few years ago when people still walked on eggshells around him.

Down by the shore she sat staring out at the horizon feeling loneliness eating away at her. It was only the other day when she could remember the hope she felt at them having a future together but it would seem she has made such little impression on his shinobi that they wish her to abandon her station. For them it must be the perfect timing or place since they are far from the village.

"Just because we are out here doesn't mean we don't hear word of what happens back in the village."

"From runway model material to a runaway, you now hide behind our great Kazekage who created a fake job for you and ignored the rest. Makes me wonder what he gets out of it from you if anything at all. Guessing you must be a charity case for him as you somehow managed to play on some soft spot."

"If you have no true talent or benefiting qualities for the village you should just skedaddle back to the limelight letting your looks be your only focus once again."

"We can give you more than a good boost in the right direction."

The words of the previous night haunted her mind leaving her aching that she doesn't feel strongly enough in anything to even prove to him that she is more than a pretty face causing trouble wherever she goes. A sigh escaped her lips, legs pulled up to her chest where she hugged them like a security blanket. She isn't sure if she even has it in her anymore to stick it out for the long haul. As far she sees it any wedding between her and Gaara would result in many standing in objection to it. This is not a world she belongs in nor does she fit in. The weight of knowing possibly thousands of sand shinobi refuse to ever accept her sat heavily on her mind coupled with villagers whispering wherever she goes. Gaara doesn't need her tarnishing his image and eventually he will see that so many other women could do more for him than she ever could.

Heart breaking a little at the thought she thought it wise that he get more exposure to the kunoichi around him, believing he could develop the same feelings with enough time among others. Gaara is always stuffed in an office going over papers and in meetings while in the village so it is no surprise that his first connection is with her when they were far away in a constantly changing setting. Before she could begin to cement anything down she found the sand whirling around next to her, showing Gaara had discovered where she has been.

"Why weren't you at breakfast," he questioned her with a frown riding on his lips.

Kagome already knew he wouldn't be happy with her decision to keep her distance but she will just give him an excuse to divert his attention away from the real issue at hand. "Have I ever really stuck around or participated in anything I created? Anyways I can think better out here and come up with more plans."

"You should be by my side at all times Kagome now come we should get back up there, I have a notebook for you," he gave her an insistent look, waiting for her to come with him. Their interaction was carefully watched by the others, she could feel their eyes on her so easily it made her jumpy feeling. Standing quickly she brushed the sand off and followed after yet keeping her distance since they have yet to figure out his true interest in her.

Gaara on the other hand did not feel pleased with this sudden distance between them. Even now she is quiet, keeping her thoughts and feelings private from him and keeping a good five feet between them. This feels like the village all over again. 'What is making us backtrack,' he wondered and searched for clues to her behavior.

The day progressed with the shinobi guards doing their laundry and such. Gaara supervised all these activities with Kagome by his side before pulling her with him to go back to the tent. Since everyone is busy doing their chores as the heat of the blazing hot day began to creep up on them he decided it would be best to take some shelter with the cool breeze wafting in to the tent. He shed the layers up top feeling relief and took off his gourd catching sight of Kagome remaining rooted to the spot. "Get comfortable, we are not even in the heat of the day yet."

She did take off her top shirt and put her hair swirled up into a bun but other than that she sat down and began jotting things down in the notebook determined to ignore the appealing sight of Gaara as he spread out among the pillows and bedding. In her mind she visualized events and went over what she knew of the shinobi at least by gender and name. Tomorrow a group will be back from patrol and another will leave shortly after. She will have to come up with some kind of activity for each group to enjoy with the Kazekage, a good contest might liven things up a bit.

Parts of his body stirred as he relaxed into the privacy of their tent, seeing the soft skin of her slender neck and few curls of raven hair gracing it. It was only the other day he had her giving into him, agreeing that she should come to him when upset but it feels like they are right back at square one of this part of their lives. Fluidly he sat up, muscles flexing as he used them. Reaching out he grabbed hold of her by the belt of her pants causing her to flail her arms at the sudden backwards motion as the pencil and notebook went flying. She landed flat on her back right next to him while he rested his head on a propped up hand, fingers skimming the skin of her abdomen as his eyes gained a hungry look.

"There is too much distance between us again," he drawled out waiting for her to confess.

"I was working Gaara, you know that thing you dragged me out here to do," she returned with attitude.

Gaara placed a finger over her lips and watched her silence herself as he caressed her lips with it. "That wasn't the only reason why. I want time with you but you keep leaving my side. Maybe right now you should just focus on us," he tugged on her bottom lip. It was only months ago that he had managed to seduce her in the woods and nearly lost himself. Thoughts of recreating that amount of sexual tension rose to the surface of his mind while he trailed that finger down over her shirt and to her bottoms. "At times I feel like forgetting all advice and joining our bodies. You are the only one who could and still can cause such a battle inside me. I wonder when it will be that you will finally be my wife," his eyes sent tremors of desire through her as slipped them down her body following the same trail his finger took.

"We should just focus on the guards," she attempted to divert his attention.

"I'm not interested in that topic right now," he shut that thought down quickly while he moved his hand up her shirt to swirl the tip of his finger around a nipple, teasing it and giving a few small tugs, pulling a gasp from her throat. "Right now we will focus on us," he moved on top of her, lifting her shirt as he kissed her breasts. Part of him has thoughts of wanting a child with her, thinking about binding her to him in such a fashion so these thoughts of leaving would leave her head. "Someday we won't have as much time for such desires when we're growing a family."

"A family," she thought her eyes might bug out as the topic rolled around in her head while he massaged her breasts. "Gaara we're nowhere ready to be thinking about a family."

"Then just give in and be my wife. You won't have to worry about work much and I will buy a bigger place for us," he plowed ahead knowing she is still holding reservations against such a commitment. "Our love need not be so complicated."

"Gaara I clearly still have a target on my head or something," she huffed, "last thing I want is to drag a child into this," she pushed on his chest and sat up with a glare trying to shake off her body's reaction to him.

That spark, that fire in her eyes always gives him a small thrill, he isn't taking this as a rejection but more like a challenge and that is what she keeps presenting him with, a challenge. "I will take care of them, you will just enjoy the pleasure I'm going to give you," he pushed her back down with a hand fisting in her hair as he squashed her ability to speak with his hungry kiss. The bulge in his pants pressed against her and he ached to do something else about it. Shoving his tongue inside her mouth he tangled it up with hers. Their bodies were becoming lit like fire, flames dancing under their skin with every rub of friction. Surroundings forgotten he shed their clothes down to one final garment on him as he enjoyed having her completely naked beneath him for the first time. Their skin becoming slick with sweat, beads of it dripping down the hard planes of his back and the soft planes of her breasts.

Legs wrapped around his waist she wholly accepted the affections even as he let his hand trail down further than he has ever let it go before. "It was only a couple nights ago when you begged me to touch you down there and now I will give you that pleasure," he caressed her lips down there feeling the sharp difference between the hair down there and what is on her head. "Do you crave my touch," he pressed a finger to dip in as he found that spot, circling it around as his hot breath fanned on her face.

"You know I do Gaara," she raised her pelvis up to press against his fingers giving her such attention, all thoughts of diverting his attention gone.

"Then moan for me, give yourself over to me if only a little further," his tender eyes holding his passion. He would love nothing more than to hear of her love for him but with so much going on it seems it will take forever to hear it ever come off those soft pretty lips. Pushing a finger all the way in Gaara soaked in the feeling of her tight walls keeping such a firm pressure around it.

A moan came out unhindered, body arching as she let him do anything he pleases so long as he keeps this up. "Oh Gaara please more," she pleaded to him as he plunged it in repeated, dragging his finger out slowly, and the she felt the added stiffness of a second finger in reward of her pleading. Panting with her eyes closed Kagome focused on what he is doing to her down there now that she can enjoy it since he is in his right mind this time. "That feels so good," she moaned again. A wet familiar part of him pressed down there. Periwinkle eyes were revealed quickly as she watched his tongue lapping at her, those eyes holding her still as she went froze. He hit the right spot and she fell back to the bedding with a moan.

"I like the taste of you," he paused in his actions then sucked on the skin to her inner thigh and went back to thrusting the two fingers in and out of her. 'Once I know for sure she has given in to me I will give us both pleasure, she won't even be able to leave the bed after I have enacted my desires,' he carefully veiled his thoughts.

The heat of the day had already set in before he was sated, guzzling down water and handing her another canteen to keep them both hydrated. His girlfriend still lie naked, exhausted of his attention on her body but he would love to relieve the pressure down south inside of her. It is no secret that he has high stamina, being a shinobi alone should speak of that but it never fails to amuse him to how worn down she always is afterwards. Call it arrogance or feeding his ego but he takes pride in knowing he is more than she can handle. Wetting a few cloths to lay on the back of their necks he joined her back down on the bedding, both getting situated before she fell into a light slumber.

"You don't believe those old rumors are true do you," the question was brought up as they eyed the tent that their Kazekage disappeared into with his Event Coordinator.

"Really Kei, no I don't believe they are true but if they are it is no business of ours," the other replied and brought his binoculars up and scanned around the area for any threats.

"Tch is that what you two are bickering about," another joined eyeing the tent as well. "Our Lord is better off not focusing his energy on an outsider either way, she is just a charity case to him and he probably gets a little something extra on top of it all. All I know is that ever since she came in the picture our Lord has had to defend her from many attacks. For whatever reason she has people after her and when she isn't trying to avoid being abducted then she is accidentally breaking things or sending the whole weapons room crashing down. Lord Gaara may have his reservations to letting her go or whatever but I'd rather do him the favor and take care of her myself."

"Take care of her, what do you mean Osamu," Kei questioned him feeling a bit worried.

"I mean get her to leave on her own; out here is the perfect place away from all the Anbu units. I don't know what is so special about her anyway; last I checked she was gracing magazines in lingerie and formal wear lines. If an accident befalls her then probably better yet but she just seems like more trouble than she is worth. Just by being around she puts people at risk," he passed his judgment with a smug look when he noticed she just exited the tent.

"Well we really shouldn't be too quick to judge and determine what would be best." Kei looked over at her skeptically. Something does seem rather different about her but it wasn't an entirely dangerous feeling.

"Oh so you want to give her the benefit of the doubt when you know that can mean death in battle," Osamu pressured with the known fact.

With a roll of his eyes he squared his shoulders and looked Osamu dead in the eyes. "Lord Fifth hasn't let us down yet and so what if she has enemies or a few accidents doesn't mean she is bad or should be coursed into leaving. As it stands she is employed by the village and our Lord is keeping her safe from her pursuers. The modeling world wouldn't be so desperate to get her back when they have plenty of pretty faces to choose from. Something else is going on and we have not been privy to what exactly that is."

"Tch, that or she has found a way to puppet our Kazekage," he watched as she enjoyed the breeze pushing back the stray locks fallen from her bun. The innocence around her put him on edge, how could anyone in this world be such a way, it just isn't natural. Then again if it is true… he'd be happy exploring that fact.

Gaara exited the tent and joined Kagome in staring out in the ocean. "Have you come up with anything else for the day?"

Bringing up her notebook she let him view her idea of a series of contests. She figured while Gaara is busy judging them and the others participating she would be inside making dinner for them. "I should get busy setting it up."

"I will help," he decided, choosing to stick by her side.

"You should probably spend more time with them, tomorrow is when half of them depart is it not," she brought up.

"I am aware of that but I wish to spend time with you. Setting up for an afternoon of entertainment shouldn't take as long with my help," Gaara countered as he suspected she is back to keeping her distance in the public eye. "What is first," he asked, looking over the list and ready to keep things moving rather than butting heads.

Kagome pointed to one of the games and drew a rough sketch with estimate calculations. "Since this needs to be built then I would say this but I'm not really sure if it can be done since I haven't seen anything to use," she looked around for any wood, stone, just anything she could use. Gaara on the other hand studied the new pencil markings and formed it out of sand instead. "Or I guess we could use sand."