Chapter Nineteen

If he were honest with himself he really didn't even understand why these two women were trying to suddenly come back into his life simply because he had married. Did they perhaps think that he would change his mind now that he was with someone? That maybe he'd take them as mistresses?

Gaara had no doubts that Ori would probably behave herself after her encounter with Hinata. His wife had hit fast and hard, going straight for the kill and unlike Ori she hadn't done it to be mean or spiteful. That was the sort of person Hinata was, she did what she absolutely had to do, even if she didn't always like it, and she never held any ulterior motive or sinister plan. Hinata was simply Hinata and he had been proud of the way she had handled the situation without him. She was a strong political wife; none of the other females would be able to manipulate her like they probably thought they were going to. She was a perfect match for him in every way.

He decided to walk out to one of the higher balconies for his confrontation with Misa. Gaara stood in his kage robes looking out over his city, enjoying the cool desert air. He didn't think about what he was going to do or say, he instead thought of his wife and how she was patiently waiting for him in their bedroom. He thought about everything on his desk that needed to be addressed immediately in the morning, or perhaps late morning depending on how he felt with his wife. After tonight it would probably be late morning. Gaara thought about the letter he would write to his sister tomorrow telling her of the insanity that had transpired and how Hinata had acted. Temari would never believe him. He would have to tell Kankuro as well and his brother would die laughing and he would smile. His brother would look at his wife with a brand new respect.

He briefly wondered if she would ever want to start a family. She had mentioned it once; perhaps he would bring the subject up in a few months to see what she thought. They were still young; barely twenty; they could start at any time and thoroughly enjoy themselves in the process.

He was thinking about all of those things when he finally felt the strange but slightly familiar chakra pattern of his ex-lover as she landed quietly behind him. Gaara didn't turn towards her, he pretended as if he hadn't noticed her there.

"Gaa-kun."

The Kazekage had forgotten she had tended to use that nickname for him. He had never liked it and was eternally grateful Hinata had never picked it up.

"Misa." He greeted monotonously.

"Did you come out here because you felt my chakra signature?" she almost sounded hopeful.

"No, I came out here because I informed my black ops to let me know of your arrival." He answered truthfully.

Now that Misa was here he tried to sort out how he felt and realized that there wasn't anything to feel. Compared to his feelings for Hinata, Misa wasn't even a blip on the radar. Yes, he had liked her once upon a time but it hadn't been love. Hinata was the woman he loved and the feelings were complete polar opposites. He wasn't even angry or hurt anymore, it just didn't matter, she didn't matter. All that mattered to him was the woman he had married. The first person to have ever given a real shit about him. The one who had promised to be his friend forever even after he had accidently almost killed her. She still bore the scars of his incompetence to this day.

I think tonight I will pay extra attention to those marks, he thought She is always so subconscious about them. I wish sometimes she would believe me when I tell her that she is beautiful regardless…

"Gaara? Aren't you even going to look at me?"

She was still there? He had allowed himself to become distracted with thoughts of Hinata. It was starting to become habit. Slowly, Gaara turned and regarded the woman in front of him.

Unlike Ori, Misa was only two years his senior and the two women looked almost completely different. Ori had straight black hair and eyes, Misa had medium length curly pale orange hair with bright green eyes that had always looked too large for her face. To compare the two women, Ori would be considered 'sexy' while Misa could be considered 'cute' or 'pretty'. She was wearing a strange shinobi outfit without her headband so he couldn't tell what land she hailed from now. Misa had perhaps grown an inch or so in the past year but she was still very thin and toned, not shapely at all. Suddenly Hinata emerged in his mind with her creamy skin and enticing curves. He hoped she never actually tried to lose weight like she kept hinting at doing.

I wonder why women believe that 'curves' means 'obese'? She keeps herself in excellent shape; if she loses any more weight I might become concerned for her health…

"It's been a while." Misa spoke again and Gaara blinked once and turned his attentions back to his 'confrontation'. "Y-you know I…I really did miss you."

Gaara wasn't sure if she was expecting an answer or not but since he had no comment to make he continued to look at her. She started doing some sort of fidgeting thing with her hand on her arm and her feet that looked very awkward on her.

"S-so, you're married."

"Yes." He didn't feel the need to elaborate on such an obvious statement.

She looked at him then, trying to catch his gaze. He briefly wondered what exactly about her had he found attractive back then. Compared to his wife, she looked homely and without any brightness. In his mind, there was no one more beautiful than the woman with the pale skin, pearl colored eyes, and long dark hair he had married. Ah, he would also try to keep her from cutting her hair. When he had first met her she had held this strange short cut and while cute on her as a child, he loved moving his fingers through the long silky strands.

"Do you love her?" green eyes seemed to glitter in the darkness yet he found them unappealing. He really just wanted to leave.

Realizing that the conversation could become rather long and annoying if he played ignorant, he got straight to the heart of the matter concerning her. "If I said 'no' what would you do?"

The question caught her off guard and she flinched as if hit before taking a step back "I-I don't know. I just…I came here because I heard and I just…I just wanted to see you again."

You are a horrible liar. "You waited until I was no longer available to approach me?" his voice sounded slightly incredulous.

"W-well it's not like I thought you were going to get married anytime soon!" she looked distraught "I mean, it hasn't even been a year and suddenly you jump into some sort of contest and marry some random girl because you fell in love at first sight? It just didn't sound like you."

Leaning against the banister slightly he crossed his arms, giving her a flat look. "You did not and do not know me, Misa." A pause "Why did you come here?"

She looked down, scowling. "I just wanted to know for myself why you loved her but you didn't love me."

She cannot be serious. Confusion filled his features "That is an insulting question. Why would I love someone who had been trying to use me for power?"

Her bright gaze snapped to his in shock. Had she honestly thought he had remained in the dark the entire time? Did he come off as unintelligent to women? One had to hold some semblance of intelligence to become Kazekage. While his past hadn't been the best socially and there were things that still confused him concerning people he wasn't gullible.

"T-that was only at first!" she stammered "The first month maybe. After that I got to know you and I really did like you! It stopped being about doing what I had to get what I wanted." Her tone and gaze were pleading and he had no idea why even looking at him like that would do anything for her or get something out of him.

"Even if that is true, it does not change anything." And he didn't believe her at all. There had been too much evidence to the contrary months after they had become friends.

Shaking her head in disbelief she shot him a shaky smile "Was that the only reason? Because of that? If you had just talked to me I would have straightened everything out with you. When did they tell you? When did you stop liking me?"

"The first night I slept with you."

The look on her face shifted from shock to disbelief to hurt to anger. Her voice began to rise.

"So you're telling me that the reason you started sleeping with me was because you found out the truth? If you really thought I was using you for power then why?"

"Because you were using me." He said calmly "What I did was not right, I understand that now, but the bottom line was that you were using me, so I decided to use you. I hadn't realized it but I had been hurt and angry at what you had done and I believe now that I did it to get back at you. I'm sure you're being honest by saying that you cared for me after a while but that doesn't matter anymore. The moment I knew who you truly were, I could no longer consider you a friend."

"So…so that entire time, those entire six months we were together, you didn't even like me." It wasn't a question. She wasn't looking at him now; her body was shaking, probably in anger.

"No, I didn't. I might have even hated you but refused to admit that to myself."

"So you just decide to marry a random stranger instead?" she was shouting now "How does that make her any better? She could have agreed to marry you only because she wanted power too, you didn't even know her! You can't justify it when it was 'love at first sight', she could be using you and now you're married to her."

Gaara didn't want to explain his relationship with Hinata to this woman; he didn't feel she deserved to know the truth. His feelings for Hinata and how they came to be were something special to him; he didn't want to share that with her.

"It doesn't matter why I'm married. Even if I wasn't I still never would have married you or loved you. You left, Misa, did you think that would have made me change my mind? That I would miss you?"

Apparently that had been exactly what had gone on in her mind. She scowled and looked frustrated.

"I shouldn't have left. I could have talked things out."

This was becoming tedious and he really wanted to get back to his wife. "Misa, even when were friends I did not love you. I liked you, I thought you were pretty and when I was around you I felt as if I had found someone who truly cared for me. But you didn't. Whether or not those feelings had changed doesn't matter. Your staying or going would not have changed my decision to marry Hinata. You could have tried to continue to claim me through sex and it still wouldn't have mattered. Even if we had continued the farce up until the Debut I still would have left you for Hinata." He spoke calmly and clearly, wanting there to be no misunderstandings "You cannot compare Hinata to you, you two aren't even close to being on the same level."

"Because she's a noble?" her tone sounded bitter.

He actually frowned at this. "No, I did not marry her for her status; I married her becauseI wanted her. Hinata is the only woman I have ever wanted." There was finality to his tone. Enough was enough, she was being ridiculous now and wasting his time.

There was a tense silence between the two of them. He noticed at one point that she was indeed crying. They were probably real tears, there was no way she would manipulate him in such an obvious manner. Unfortunately, he didn't care. After this, he was pretty sure he was going to discard both her and Ori out of his mind and never think of them again. They just didn't matter.

"Misa," he said it very quietly "You are no longer a part of Suna. Leave here. Tonight. Do not ever return. Next time try to truly fall in love with someone for the right reasons." Turning away from her he jumped lightly on the banister "You have your answers. We have nothing further to discuss and I told my wife I would not keep her waiting long." He paused long enough for their gazes to lock "By the way, yes, I love Hinata." He disappeared in a stream of sand.

He entered his room not too long afterwards, feeling tired and drained for some reason. His headache had become worse and he really just felt like holding his wife in his arms. She wasn't in the immediate vicinity but the shifting lights coming from the bathroom and the running water gave him a good idea of where she was.

As he reached the door she exited, her face cleared of makeup, she blinked up at him for a second before smiling. Her hands moved to frame his face.

"How are you feeling?" his wife asked him.

"Tired and slightly confused," he admitted, looking slightly annoyed by the entire ordeal "I don't truly understand why they came. I knew they would, they're predictable in that manner, but I don't understand it. Why would they believe I would leave my wife for them? Why even attempt to come back into my life now that I am truly happy?" his hands slid to her hips and he realized she was wearing one of those thin sleeping yukata.

Hm. Perhaps he wasn't so tired after all.

Pulling his head down her hands moved to the back of his neck and began to massage. He closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck, enjoying the sensation.

"Maybe you should sit down," she said, sounding genuinely worried, "it'll make things easier."

Reluctant to let go of her hips his hands lingered for a moment before he walked over to their bed and sat down. She climbed up and behind him; her hands sliding up his back and neck, kneading. Gaara kept his head down enjoying the feel of her hands and the steady decrease of pain in his head. Delicate fingers moved almost expertly down his back, massaging tense muscles loose. He felt her press her chest to his back and a tickling sensation as her hair drifted over her shoulders and brushed his forearms. Her hands were at his lower back and he arched a bit, giving her better access.

Tilting her head she began to brush her lips against his neck before planting soft kisses up and along his jaw.

"You should take your shirt off." She suggested, her voice sounding deep and sexy. He felt a small shiver move through him and then he quickly discarded the material. She trailed kisses around to the back of his neck, her hands sliding over his shoulders as she moved lower. Her tongue trailed over his shoulder blades and he couldn't help the soft groan that escaped from him. Definitely not tired any longer.

Raising back up her hands began to slide from his shoulders down his chest and to his stomach. Leaning his head back he let out a soft hiss as her nails raked up his stomach and to his chest before she framed his face with her hands again, kissing him passionately. One hand moved into her hair, pressing her mouth firmer on his as she slid her tongue over his lips and he allowed her to deepen the kiss.

They parted, breathless and he turned around to face her, crawling on the bed to join her. Giggling, she had him rise up until he was on his knees and slightly above eye level with her. They kissed again, their arms coming around each other in a passionate embrace. Her hands were everywhere, his back, chest, stomach. One hand slipped under his pants and cupped him. He groaned and began to trail kisses down her neck, trying to keep himself calm and in control. His breathing became strained as her hand wrapped around him and began to lightly pump, his fingers beginning to dig into skin. All thoughts of Ori and Misa and everything that didn't involve right here right now was thrown out of his mind as he thought only of the woman in his arms. Nothing else mattered but Hinata.

She arched her back when he pulled her up and his head dipped to her breasts. Somehow along the way he had - or she had – slid the top half off of her shoulders, the rest hanging around her hips tied together by a strip of cloth.

Remembering something he had wanted to do earlier, his hand moved to wrap around her left wrist and he lifted her scarred forearm to his face. With his tongue he trailed along the scars, kissing and brushing his lips along. She breathed his name and he thought he would lose control right there. It was always the way she would say his name, with that soft voice of hers that would drive him to distraction.

He felt the warmth of her tongue as she began to trail along his neck and down to his chest. He let go of her wrist so as not to stop her progress as she kissed and nipped softly – and sometimes not so softly – along his skin. Her hands continued to slide up and down his chest and stomach, sometimes drifting down to rub along his aching length, enjoying the friction. He felt his breath catch when she continued to kiss and nip lower. He almost shifted to stop her but she slid a hand up his chest as if to restrain him.

"Hinata." He found himself tilting his head back as the fabric around his hips dropped, freeing him. Her lips brushed along the tip and down and he fought not to lose control. She cupped him again, trailing her tongue along, teasing with the light scrape of her teeth.

There were times when he liked to take control and then there were times when she took control and it was such sweet torture. She'd never let him move or react, she would just explore his body, teasing and tasting and touching until he didn't think he could take any more. When her mouth closed around him he cried out softly, his hands moving to her shoulders, straining not to move his hips. Her mouth was hot and wet, her hand stroking where her mouth wasn't. She would pull away to trail her tongue around his sensitive head, teeth lightly scraping along before she took him in again. She continued her ministrations for what felt like eternity, sometimes teasing his head with her tongue and teeth and then sometimes she would trail her tongue along his shaft and when she lightly brushed over him with her teeth he almost came right then and there.

She took him into her mouth again, her hand moving a little firmer and increasing in speed, her mouth sucking him long and deep. His hard gasps and soft groans were the only noise within the dark confines of their bedroom. Then she was moving faster her hand trailing up his inner thigh and to that spot. She pressed in and pushed her bit of chakra into the point and his entire body hardened to a breaking point. He came hard in her mouth, crying out her name as pleasure unparalleled ripped through him over and over until he thought he would shatter.

It wasn't enough. It never was once she did that. He was still rock solid as he pulled her up and then kissed her hard, tasting himself in her mouth. Nails raked over his back and he began to push her backwards towards the head of the bed. He knew what was going to happen. She didn't want slow and controlled, she wanted wild and hard and rough and in all honesty he wanted the exact same thing, to claim her and only her so that she would never even remotely hold another thought in her head that he'd ever want anyone besides her, right here, right now.

They hit the headboard pressed against the wall and he dipped his head to take a creamy breast in his mouth, sucking hard, his teeth a little rougher against her flesh before soothing it over with his tongue. Hands fisted in his hair and pulled, he felt himself tighten and he let out a hard noise. He began to part her legs with his knee and when he was done with her breasts for the moment he trailed hot kisses down her flat stomach, drug teeth along the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh and then he pulled her hips to him as his mouth closed over her and she cried out, his name on her lips.

"More." He growled, sliding his tongue along her folds before delving his tongue into her. She cried out his name again, her breaths coming out in short gasps. He continued to hold her hips to him, sucking, licking, lightly nibbling, dipping. His mouth moved over her in a rhythm, her soft little noises and the small gasps of his name was driving him crazy, he didn't know how her whispering – or even shouting – his name could be such a turn-on but it was, gods it was. He felt her body begin to tense and he increased his speed of his tongue along her folds and her core. Then he felt her body begin to shake as she arched her back, his name on her lips as she had her own climax, her nails digging into his shoulders. He took all of her in his mouth and then he was rising up, grabbing her and pinning her against the headboard.

Before she even had a chance to settle from her first climax he surged inside hard and deep with a low groan as she wrapped around him tightly. Without warning he felt her press into his back and pure pleasure ripped through him. Then he was gone, wild, out of control. The sharp sting of her nails along his back had him crying out, she tugged on his hair and he bit her neck, the hand on her hip digging in. He didn't even try to stay silent, matching her gasps, her cries. She bit and scratched and pulled and he wanted it all, more and more, the pain and the pleasure feeling so damn good.

Then she tightened around him again as her second orgasm hit and her nails dug in, fingers pulled and he came right after her, hot and hard, her name erupting from his lips and then he was falling, falling, his body coming down from its high, shaky, drained as if suffering from withdrawal off a highly addictive drug. Her legs were wrapped partly around him, her arms circling his body as they knelt locked together, panting; trying to force precious air back into their bodies. He began to move backwards, taking her with him. She kept her legs wrapped around his middle until he pulled them down on the bed and underneath the covers, hands trailing lightly over her body, his lips brushing over her shoulders, over her neck and along her jaw. He spooned her, fingers continuing to trail lightly over her soft skin.

"Always you," he whispered softly against her shoulder "always."