The Calm Before the Storm

~~~~~~Mature content ahead~~~~~~

"The calm before the storm." What an interesting phrase.

There was a time in her life, where everything she knew was a storm. Experiments that twisted her, the strange pseudo-dependent relationship her creator had with her, even her introduction to the Sand, all of it was one passing storm to the next.

The only thing she ever looked forward to, were the harbors of safety she'd find in the chaos.

The way Haru's eyes would light up when he laughed, the scrape of her pencil against a fresh sheet of paper, a job well done when a client finally found the rest that always alluded them and, of course, the fleeting moments with the love of her life.

Even if they were sparse recently.

They always seemed to be missing each other, two lonely ships passing in the night. Whether by her study schedule or his responsibilities in preparing for the Cleansing, the only time they found to be close, were in the moments either or both would pass out in bed and wake up in the other's arms.

But even that proved to be nonexistent lately.

Rin left the library just as the sun was rising.

She'd seen Koji off to bed hours ago, his nodding head disproving his claims of not being tired.

Originally, she'd planned to only spend a few more minutes reviewing her materials, but minutes turned to hours and the sound of birds calling in the dawn, let her know that another night passed. Her final night to prepare.

"Might as well try for some sleep. Don't know how much good it will do." She said to herself, stretching back over the chair.

Three or four cracks echoed through the quiet room and she grimaced.

Her steps were solitary in the lonely halls, no one more than a guard or two to acknowledge her passing.

Rin stared out the window at the sleepy village, the barest hint of stirring, when families rose to greet the day. Soon, the market would be full of noise and a part of her wished for it.

She'd come to enjoy the bustle of the Sand, especially the lilting giggles of children who passed under the windows, their shrieks and laughing voices filling her mind with springtime.

Her thoughts turned to Koji, snuggled away in his bed, sleeping soundly for the first time in his life.

How many children were like him in the Sand? In the Land of Wind or Fire or Stone? She didn't know much about the policies of local governments, other that the painstaking lessons that had been grilled into her mind the past few weeks, but she'd heard stories of how they treated orphans.

None of them impressed her.

Her eyes lost focus for a moment and sharpened on her reflection in the window. She looked tired, haggard, certainly not preferable for presentation that night.

Study be damned, sleep was a necessity.

Rin touched the bags under her eyes and sighed, making her way down the seemingly endless hallway and falling face first into the bed, who's siren's call was too great to ignore.

She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

It was this soundless sleep that made her unaware of the man sliding in beside her.

Gaara had been watching her all night.

The hours she spent crouched over the mountain of books, the meals she skipped, the endless nights of studying, all of it hurt his heart. He hated that she was going through this for him, though he knew she wouldn't complain a word to him.

He couldn't interrupt her, so he settled for watching over her instead.

He'd sent in meals, so she'd wouldn't forget to eat, he'd kept others from entering and breaking her concentration, including himself, though he allowed Koji as the boy seemed to bring her joy amid her chaos.

Recently, he'd been following her from the library to their bedroom, making sure he hung back, so she wouldn't see him.

A few nights ago, she was so tired, she didn't even make it all the way through the door, instead he found her slumped against the wall, snoring softly, a book still clutched in her hands.

Now, he settled beside her in the soft bed, trailing his finger down the curve of her jaw. "My Rin… you've fought so hard."

She sighed and turned over, snuggling into his chest without waking.

His smile was gentle, as he brushed her hair out of her face, admiring her as he did every morning.

The light of dawn filled the room in draping curtains of warmth. He would draw the shades to protect her eyes, but for the moment, he reveled in the glow it cast upon her.

His angel, his desert rose, who bloomed with the sun and captivated him with her light. His fingers trailed down the smooth skin of her shoulder, the curve of her elbow and settled on her fair hand.

He lifted it up to his lips, kissing each finger that was wrapped in bandages from the numerous papercuts.

Rin inhaled sharply and Gaara stilled. They must still hurt even now.

He settled for kissing the back of her hand and her palm instead, holding it to his cheek, absorbing her addicting warmth.

His tired eyes closed.

This was when life made the most sense to him. When the meetings and paperwork faded away, when the voices of his counsel, his siblings, his people and his own mind quieted to nothing.

He'd been worn too.

Of course, she was doing far more than he, but his mind was still exhausted. The preparations were never-ending, the hoops he had to jump through for security, all of it while worrying about the trial his lover would face and that she was doing all of it on his behalf.

Sometimes, the guilt felt like too much.

"I can't sleep when you squish me like that."

Her voice shot his eyes open and he realized he was indeed clutching her hand to his face. "I'm sorry. I'll leave you to rest."

"Do that and the Sand will be down one Kazekage."

He laughed and she backed up so she could see his face. He tried not to react to the exhaustion in her eyes, when she smiled. "Hello, my love."

"Hello."

"Just how long have you been sneaking in to watch me sleep?"

He thought about it, but smirked. "Just how long have you been pretending not to notice?"

Her giggle was a wave of butterflies, their wings brushing his heart when she flopped her head against the pillow. "You caught me! I noticed every time, of course. Your presence is difficult to ignore."

Gaara wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the curve of her neck. "Oh? When I do this?"

Rin bit her lower lip against the noise that longed to leave her at the sensation of his mouth against her flesh. "Mm hmm.'

That mouth trailed down past her collarbones, giving each a gentle kiss, unzipping her dress and discarding it, so that she was in a slip and nothing more. "Or this?"

The noise did leave her then, sending delicious tingles all the way down to her toes. "Gaara…"

He let out a low "hm?" as he continued to kiss the sensitive areas of her body, but she found she couldn't speak a word, let alone answer his question.

Suddenly, the wonderful kisses stopped, and he pulled back, brushing a hand through her hair. "I need to let you get some sleep. I'm being selfish."

"Wha…?" Rin began, as he started to sit up.

"I want to be with you. I miss you so much, Rin, but opening ceremonies are tonight, and you need your rest. I'm already putting you through enough with having to learn and perform everything, the least I can do is rein in my instincts long enough to give you some…"

He was on his back before he could finish.

"Silly Kazekage."

Gaara's eyes were wide, taking in the form of Rin on top of him, the morning sun making her slip of a nightgown see-through. "Rin…"

She kissed along his neck. "Everything I do…"

Her lips trailed to his chest, kissing the lines of his pecs. "Everything I've been doing…"

Those incredible lips came to his abs, the divine bubblegum tongue licking along their lines, making him pant with sensation. "Is for you."

"Rin." He moaned.

Her eyes flicked up to his face, as his fingers dug into her shoulders. "You need to rest…for the…"

She took hold of the most intimate part of him. "For what? I couldn't quite hear you."

He gasped. "Rin… please…"

Her smile was wicked. "Please what?"

Gaara couldn't say anything, words were locked away, all he knew was the pleasure she was giving him. He knew he needed to think of her over him, but the way she touched him, the mischief in her eyes and the curve of her smile, stilled the fierce sense of responsibility he had.

She continued her masterful seduction, keeping her eyes fixed on him, until release nearly came, and she moved her hips to settle on his.

Gaara's eyes rolled in the back of his head at the feeling of her body.

This was everything. Everything he ever needed, nothing like he knew he wanted, and he knew he didn't deserve a single moment of it. How could the world have been so kind to give him this?

Rin moved her hips expertly, rotating them so they both felt the pleasure and closeness they needed, and she could feel him start to drift away.

Her eyes fixed on his, knowing that guilty look of his anxiety rearing its ugly head.

Not now, not on her watch.

Her hands laced with his, bringing them above his head, as she placed her forehead on his. "Stay with me."

"But…"

"Shhh. Stay with me."

"I…Rin…I shouldn't…"

Her lips came to his ear, kissing it in glorious electric shocks. "Take me."

That was all it took.

His hands left hers and came to her curvy hips, the fingertips digging into her skin. He gasped and panted as he released the thunderstorm within him and poured into her.

Rin moaned, the smile on her face lighting up the room, even more than the morning sun.

She rocked her hips a few more times, before sliding off of him and curling into his strong arms.

He couldn't speak, couldn't think, just rode the wave of sensation, the rush of colors in his mind. Then he felt her cool fingers trail down his jaw, turning his face towards her own. Her lips were sun-warmed strawberries against his and he sighed away all the anxiety and worry he had over the past few weeks.

Rin would conquer whatever she set her mind to and even if she didn't, no one could do this for him. No one held a candle to the blinding light that was his love for her. They would be together regardless of the outcome.

He lifted her injured fingers to his mouth and kissed her left ring finger.

Rin smiled, her face flush from pleasure. "Thinking of making me your wife, Lord Fifth?"

His eyes held her. "You already are."

"What? We haven't been officially married yet. That's why I'm doing all of this nonsense."

Gaara cupped her face, pulling her into himself. "As far as I'm concerned, you, my desert rose, are my wife. I will spend every morning pleasing you, I will face the world with you at my side and no one will take that from us. You are mine."

She sighed, nuzzling her face in his strong chest, the sleepiness taking her. "And you are mine."