Chapter 16 - Realize

The two entered the hotel once again, and stopped. Akara and Gaara both suddenly became painfully aware that there was only one bed, and they would be sharing it for the remainder of their mission. So then, Gaara did what any other normal person would have done in that situation:

"Shotgun on shower."

~~~~~~~~~~

Gaara sat on the bed a few minutes later, listening to the shower running. He was thinking hard about the kiss. Truth be told, kissing Akara wasn't unpleasing: it was actually rather nice. But he knew, even if he didn't want to, that Akara probably didn't think of him that way.

He sighed, and turned to face the wall. Might as well fall asleep before she argues with me on which side I'll sleep on...

A voice floated out the bathroom door, and Gaara's half-closed eyes shot open. In two strides, he was already at the door with his ear pressed against it.

Take time to realize,
That your warmth is crashing down on in...
Take time to realize,
That I am on your side...
Didn't I, didn't I tell you?

Gaara strained to hear, brow furrowed. Tell him what?

But I can't spell it out for you,
No, it's never gonna be that simple...
No, I can't spell it out for you...

She was singing with a hint of sadness in her voice, almost regretful. Gaara's shoulders drooped slightly. She did regret kissing him.

If you just realize what I just realized,
Then we'd be perfect for each other
And will never find another...
Just realized what I just realized,
We'd never have to wonder if
We missed out on each other now...

The shower shut off, and Gaara dove for the bed. Picking up a scroll, he waited with bated breath for Akara to come out and scream at him. A few minutes passed, and he heard what he'd been dreading: the click of the bathroom door opening. He looked up from the scroll, and felt his jaw go slack.

Akara wore a black nightdress that cut off at her thighs, accented with a touch of black lace around the hem and collar. She sat on the left side of the bed, and he sat there on the right, waiting for her to turn and reprimand him. He heard her lift her hand, but the slap that he was expecting didn't come.

Turning, he saw her braiding her hair, as though it were normal to be in a hotel room with the Kazekage in a skimpy negligee. She'd dropped the genjutsu, and her hair looked dark with wet in the cheap incandesent light. She finished, and turned her head to look at him.

"Good night, Kazekage-sama."

~~~~~~~~~~

Gaara awoke halfway through the night, feeling something abnormal. He sat up, and rubbed his eyes. He then felt the difference: Akara wasn't on her side of the bed. He looked over to the left, and froze.

Akara was standing in front of the window, hair let out from its braid and the strap of her dress sliding off her shoulder. Her eyes were half-lidded, and she had a little smirk on her face.

"Hello, Gaara-sama," she said, enunciating each syllable perfectly with her perfect pink lips.

She walked over, the moonlight making her a mere silhouette. She lay beside him, and she slowly pulled the covers off his body. She ran a hand down his bare chest, and purred.

"You're so very good looking, you know that?"

She lay down next to him, and her eyes locked in on his.

"Take me."

~~~~~~~~~~

Gaara sat up, and snapped his head to the left. He let out a sigh of relief: Akara was still on her side, breathing deeply in that quiet way Gaara most associated with sleep. He relaxed his muscles, and rubbed his eyes.

That was the second time he'd had a dream about Akara in two months. He cursed lightly under his breath, and got out of bed. What the hell was wrong with him?! Why did his mind insist on torturing him?! A whimper made him turn back to the bed.

Akara was shivering- no, shaking. A look of intense pain was etched into her face, and she was making noises that sounded to him like a wounded animal. As he watched, she gave out a weak little wail, and tears fell from her closed eyes. Walking ove, Gaara sat on the edge of the bed, and did what first came to his mind: he rubbed her back.

She stopped whimpering, and Gaara started to whisper a lullaby.

Sleep desert baby,
Please don't you cry,
The moon has come with the night...

Sleep desert baby,
Safe here and warm,
Until the moon says goodbye.

She calmed, and quit her violent shaking. Gaara paused, and looked down on her. He didn't know what had made him sing that song. He hadn't heard it since he was six.

He pushed it aside, and went back on his side of the bed. Oh well...he'd figure it out later.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next day found them both at a garden party at Ken's private onsen. Dressed in the same kimono from the Summer Festival, Akara nudged Gaara's arm.

"It's time to initiate Phase Two, Gaara-sama. Ken-san is now interested in me, which is exactly what we need for him to do. If I just keep playing hard to get, he'll eventually break down and ask me to spend the night with him."

Gaara tensed. He knew that the plan required Akara to sleep with Ken, but Gaara was infuriated about it all the same. To think of that arrogant man even touching Akara...wait, what the heck?

Gaara mentally kicked himself. No! She's a friend...just a friend, nothing more...

He sighed. Hell, who was he trying to kid? He'd much rather be the one Akara was trying to seduce than be the man she just happened to be teammates with.

"Aika-chan! Jiro-san! Glad you could make it!"

Ken scurried up to them in that ratlike way of his, and they bowed, Akara fluttering her eyelashes coyly.

"Hello, Ken-san! Your onsen is absolutely lovely."

Ken acted modest. "Oh, it's just a simple little onsen. Say, a few of the investors are going to stay after for a dip in the hot springs. Will you join us?"

Even though she was paniking, Gaara had to give Akara her props for keeping up the cool facade. Ken was moving faster than the plan had anticipated, and Gaara knew it. Akara soon regained her poise, and laughed.

"Oh, Ken-san! You embarrass me! Jiro-koi, what do you think? Should we stay?"

Gaara cleared his throat. "I don't see why not, Aika-koi."

Akara gave a deep blush, and Gaara instantly kicked himself for saying it. Just using that little term of indearment set Akara off her stride, and he'd gone and done it. Ken seemed not to notice, because he just laughed and scurried away.

Akara gave another laugh, this time one that wasn't fake, but a real, honest-to-goodness laugh. To Gaara, it sounded like the lovely little windchimes vendors sold on the streetcorners in Suna.

"Well, Gaara-sama," she said, recovering, "You certainly figured out your character fast!"

Gaara cleared his throat again, trying to hide the flush on his face. "Akara-san, keep your voice down..."

"Aika-chan! Jiro-san! Come here!"

The two instantly reverted back to their previous states, and with a smile on her face, Akara dragged Gaara to the group.

"Come, Jiro-koi. We must think of the plan."

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