Warning: This is a sandcest story. Don't like, don't read. Otherwise, comments are welcome.

Pairing: Gaara/Temari.

This is an edited version, to (hopefully) comply with the site's rating restriction. You can find the uncensored version in my LJ or at adultfanfiction, link from my profile.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters.

She sat on the bed in her hotel room, leaning against the headboard, staring out the window at the half-full moon. The door was slightly ajar and out of the corner of her eye she could see the darkness of the hallway beyond. Her weapon was laid out on her lap and she was polishing it absently, not really paying attention to what she was doing. She seemed deep in thought, but in reality what was going through her mind was too incoherent to be properly considered thoughts. Her life had changed so much in the last few months that sometimes she found it hard to understand her place in the world now. Her father was dead, although that didn’t particularly bother her. Her village had lost its leader and remained in an uncertain position as the elders tried to decide who should be the next Kazekage. But the strangest part for her was the events that took place with her team since the chuunin exam.

The only mission her team had been sent on since then was the one they had just completed – helping Konoha in an attempt to retrieve one of their genin. And now they were left in Konoha without an explanation of why they weren’t supposed to return home. They all wondered about what might be happening in Suna in their absence, but neither of them voiced their concerns. The Hokage had assigned them the task of helping teach at the academy to keep them occupied. In reality, her and Kankuro were the only ones that actually did anything, while Gaara merely stood back and watched, hindering them more by his mere presence which made the children tremble. Although during psychological training when the conversation inevitably turned to killing, Gaara could not restrain himself from making occasional comments, watching the children look at him with open-mouthed horror as he spoke about death in an almost loving way.

Death had been Gaara’s only companion through his life of loneliness and pain. That and the demon tanuki who forever plagued his thoughts and separated him from the rest of the world. Gaara seemed to have changed since the chuunin exam. But no one really knew what was going through his mind. He had not killed senselessly since the exam. He had even apologized to his siblings. But he still remained silent, shut off from the world, as if he was not sure how to interact with it. Every night he still disappeared, and no one knew what he did when he was alone. His siblings had tried to start a conversation with him when he was around them, but he always turned away, making only short comments in response to their questions before walking away. Her little brother was a mystery to her almost as much as to everyone else.

As she pondered these thoughts subconsciously, she suddenly became aware of a figure outlined against the darkness of the hallway, standing in front of her door. She turned her head towards the figure slowly, recognizing her little brother, his face hidden in the shadows. Her grip on the fan tightened instinctively, unsure of his intentions. She watched as he pushed the door open silently, taking one slow step inside. With a sigh of relief she noticed that he was not carrying his gourd. She continued to watch him, not sure if she should speak, as he took another step towards her.

“Temari…” Gaara said quietly, taking another step forward, the moon finally casting light on his face.

With a gasp Temari saw the confused, almost pained expression on his face. He looked like a lost child, the way she remembered him when he was six, desperately searching for an answer that no one wanted to give.

“What’s wrong, Gaara?” she asked softly, picking up her fan and setting it aside on the floor beside the bed. Gaara stepped closer, looking down at the person he had never before called his sister, trying to find the words that would express his confusion.

“Naze?” he said finally, unable to find anything better.

“What do you mean?” Temari asked with a slight tremble, fear gripping her again. Whenever Gaara spoke that word, anger always followed.

“They talk about me, Temari,” Gaara said, his brow creased slightly as he stepped even closer, now standing next to her. “I can hear their whispers. They say I’m not like them, I don’t act human. What makes me different?”

Temari sighed. She was his big sister, it was her duty to help him understand. But what could one say to someone like Gaara? He knew very well why he was a monster, why everyone ran from him. How could she possibly explain all the small things that made him seem so inhuman, so distant? Temari reached out towards him, wishing for a minute she could act like they were really family, pull him into an embrace and tell him it would all be alright. But then she remembered who she was dealing with and quickly retracted her hand.

“Take a seat, Gaara,” Temari said with a sigh, nodding towards her bed as she sat up, crossing her legs in front of her.

Gaara obediently sat down on the bed next to her, looking up at her expectantly. Temari had to suppress a smile. It was odd to see Gaara look so helpless. She wondered for a moment if she did attempt to hug him now, if maybe he would allow her. She forced herself to suppress that thought, knowing that he could still kill her no matter how defenseless he might look.

“This is hard to say, Gaara,” Temari said, trying to choose her words carefully. “Like you said, you don’t act like normal people. It’s small things, but they add up. You’ve always been that way, even as a child.”

Gaara tilted his head to the side slightly, as if analyzing her words.

“I don’t understand,” he said finally.

Temari sighed again. She wished Kankuro was there to help her. He was always blunt, straight to the point. He would not be afraid of saying the truth, while she didn’t want to hurt Gaara’s feelings, although she was not entirely sure that he even had feelings in the way she thought of them.

“I’ll give you an example,” she said thoughtfully. “Remember today, when Naruto came to the academy during break? He made that stupid joke, and everyone laughed. But you didn’t.”

“Laugh?” Gaara said uncertainly. “But… Shukaku was quiet.”

Temari shook her head sadly. This was one of those things that set Gaara even further apart from everyone, showing that the only being he understood in this world was Shukaku. He only laughed in response to Shukaku’s moods. He only shared Shukaku’s emotions – pain, anger, hate, blood lust.

“When people laugh,” Temari said softly. “It’s not always to mock someone. People laugh when they are happy.”

“Happy?” Gaara asked again, frowning slightly. “I don’t know what that means.”

“That’s hard to explain, Gaara,” Temari said, her heart clenching at the thought that her little brother had never been able to understand happiness. “I don’t know if I’ve ever truly felt happy myself. I guess happiness is when you don’t feel pain or anger.”

“If you’re not happy, then why do you laugh?” Gaara asked, confused by the conflicting statements.

“Well… you can be sort of happy, but not entirely,” Temari wrinkled her nose, trying to think of an example. “Like… you can be irritated at someone, but you don’t entirely hate them, not enough to kill them.”

“I see,” Gaara said thoughtfully. “Like with Kankuro?”

Temari laughed softly. Gaara’s eyes travelled to her mouth, analyzing the sound.

“I see,” he said again after a moment.

“Why don’t we try this another way,” Temari said with a small smile. “Tell me what you don’t understand, and I’ll try to explain it to you.”

“What makes people happy?” Gaara asked immediately.

“It’s different for everyone,” Temari said, frowning slightly at the fact that the first question was an impossible one. “Some people are just happy when nothing in their life goes wrong. Some people are happy when they are around their friends. A lot of people are happy when they find love.”

“Love?” Gaara asked, his eyes widening slightly. “That’s what Yashamaru said. But if I love only myself, then shouldn’t I be happy?”

“It doesn’t quite work like that,” Temari said sadly. “The kind of love that can make you happy can only be received from another person.”

Gaara looked at her thoughtfully for several long moments.

“Do you love me?” he asked quietly.

“Of course, Gaara,” Temari answered instantly. “You are my little brother.”

“Should that make me happy?”

“It’s not just knowing that someone loves you,” she said with a smile. “It’s loving them in return.”

“Should I… should I love you… Temari?” Gaara asked uncertainly.

“It’s a different kind of love, Gaara. There is love for a family member, like us, and there’s romantic love. When you love someone who is not a family member, it’s a different feeling. You always want to be with that person, you feel incomplete without them.”

“But…” Gaara looked down at his hands resting in his lap. “I never thought of you as a sister.”

Temari paused, unsure of what Gaara was trying to say. Was he just desperate enough to find love that he would search for it anywhere he could?

“That doesn’t change the fact that I am,” she said, more sharply than she intended. Gaara looked up at her again.

“Is that the only reason you love me?” he asked quietly.

“I suppose not,” she answered with a shrug. “I never loved our father.”

“Then… why is it different?”

“You just… don’t do certain things with family members that you would with someone you are in love with.”

“Like what?” Gaara asked, his face instantly curious. Temari blushed slightly.

“I’d say you’ll know when you get older,” she said with a slight smirk. “But I guess that doesn’t work with you.”

“Tell me,” he said, his voice coming out as a command.

“People that are in love touch each other in ways that no one else does,” Temari said, trying to give as little detail as possible.

“Touch?” Gaara said, and she saw a brief pained look cross his face before he turned away from her.

Temari immediately remembered that Gaara had never really been touched at all. The time when her and Kankuro carried him after the chuunin exam was the only time they actually touched him. She swallowed, trying to summon her courage. Slowly, she sat up a little straighter, carefully leaning towards Gaara and reaching out a hand towards him tentatively. She saw him look at her out of the corner of his eye but he did nothing to stop her. Temari let her fingers brush against his shirt before allowing her hand to rest gently on his shoulder. She felt Gaara tense up immediately, turning his head towards her once again.

“We’ve never really been a family,” Temari said softly. “Family members hug. They hold each other. They can cry on each other’s shoulder.”

Gaara remained silent as he looked at her, his expression unreadable.

“I’m sorry I’ve never done this before,” Temari said, moving a fraction of an inch closer to him.

“Hug?” Gaara finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Temari knew he understood the word, having seen other people do it. But she supposed it was different knowing it and having actually experienced it. Slowly, cautiously she moved closer towards Gaara. Seeing that he was not moving away, she allowed her arms to wrap around him tentatively before pulling him into an embrace. She heard him gasp quietly, his arms remaining limp at his side. After several moments, she pulled back, looking at Gaara and trying to gauge his reaction.

“It feels… warm,” he said thoughtfully.

“Hai, I think it’s supposed to,” Temari said with a smile.

“So why…” Gaara broke off, looking at Temari uncertainly. “How is that different?”

“Well,” Temari said, trying to figure out a way to explain it. “I guess it’s more intimate when it’s not family members. Closer. More personal. There is kissing and… other things.”

Gaara looked at her with confusion as Temari realized that there were too many words in what she said that he wouldn’t understand.

“It’s just different,” she said with a helpless shrug.

“Show me,” Gaara said looking at her unblinkingly.

“Gaara!” Temari exclaimed. “I just told you, you don’t do that with family members.”

“But you said we’ve never been a family,” Gaara pointed out, frowning slightly.

“Hai, but…” Temari answered weakly, not sure how to make him understand. “We’re still related. It would be wrong.”

“Wrong?” Gaara asked, his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“I guess you wouldn’t know,” Temari said with a smirk. “No one ever had the guts to tell you what’s right and wrong.”

“I don’t understand,” Gaara said, frowning even more. Temari shivered involuntarily, realizing he was starting to get angry.

“There’s just certain things you’re not supposed to do,” Temari said, trying to sound comforting. “Like… You’re not supposed to kill your allies because people would get angry?”

Gaara looked at her for a moment before nodding.

“Well, there are many things like that,” Temari continued. “You don’t do things when you know it will upset or hurt someone.”

“But… how does that hurt someone?” Gaara asked, seeming to get only more confused.

“I guess that’s different,” Temari said, stumped to find the right explanation. “Some things are just considered taboo. You don’t do them because it’s considered inappropriate. For example, you don’t walk around naked because it might offend people.”

Gaara considered this for a moment.

“That makes no sense,” he said finally. “If no one sees it, it can’t offend or hurt anyone.”

Temari sighed at his straight-forward logic. It was hard to explain morals to someone who didn’t have a basic understanding of social interaction.

“Well, I guess there is a reason behind that,” Temari shrugged. “People who are closely related aren’t supposed to have children together, because it messes up their genes.”

“Children?” Gaara asked, confused at the apparent change in topic.

“Well, that’s where it eventually leads,” Temari said, finding herself suddenly in the role of a parent and feeling thoroughly uncomfortable with the conversation. “People fall in love, they end up having sex, and that leads to children.”

“I see,” Gaara said after a short pause. “But sex doesn’t always make people have children.”

“How do you know that?” Temari asked suspiciously.

Gaara shrugged.

“I’ve seen it,” he said indifferently.

“Nani?!” Temari was shocked. “When?”

“I spend all night awake, Temari,” Gaara said looking at her with sudden seriousness. “I watch. That’s all I can do.”

“Then why are you asking me all this?” she said, her voice revealing a hint of anger.

“Because…” he said, looking away from her. “I see it, but I don’t understand.”

“Well, it’s hard for me to explain,” she said. “It’s not like I’ve ever…” she broke off, blushing.

“Then show me,” Gaara said again, turning back to her and seeming completely unashamed, even though he had revealed that he knew exactly what he was asking for.

“Gaara…” she said with a sigh.

“Temari,” he interrupted, his voice revealing a hint of sadness. “If you don’t, then I’ll never…”

“Don’t try to trick me by making me feel guilty,” she said sternly.

Gaara continued to look at his sister silently, his face passive as always.

“It’s not going to work,” Temari said, trying to keep her voice firm.

Gaara tilted his head to the side slightly, looking at her expectantly. He reminded her so much of a lost child that it made her feel guilty on more than one level.

“Fuck!” she exclaimed. “If you tell Kankuro, or anyone, about this, I will kill you.”

Gaara made no response, but she saw him smirk slightly, knowing full well that she would never be able to so much as lay a scratch on him.

“I will let you do one thing, and one only,” she said firmly. “And I am not fucking you.”

Gaara nodded slightly.

“Close the door,” she said with an exasperated sigh.

She saw a trickle of sand come up and push the door closed, while Gaara did not even move. It made Temari shiver inwardly, knowing that he could control the sand so effortlessly even when he did not have his gourd on him.

“Just remember, I’m only doing this because you look so fucking pitiful,” she said, looking at him uncertainly, already starting to regret her decision.

Gaara made no reply, and made no move to do anything. Temari sighed, realizing he was going to make this even more difficult, if that was at all possible.

“What do you want, Gaara?” she asked, resisting the urge to call him ototou and remind him of their position – she was sure that it would have no effect anyway.

“You tell me,” Gaara said with a slight shrug.

“If anyone finds us, they’ll think I’m molesting you,” Temari said with exasperation.

“There’s no one around,” Gaara answered simply.

Temari knew it was true. Kankuro had gone out, trailing after another girl, and he would likely not be back until morning. And Gaara would know if anyone was spying on them – although Temari was not entirely sure if he would say anything if there was no threat as far as he perceived it. Threat to her took a completely different meaning in this situation. She sighed again, realizing that at this point she had no way out of it without pissing Gaara off, and she did not wish to test how much his temper had really changed.

“Fine,” Temari said shortly.

She leaned closer towards Gaara, reaching out and tentatively placing a hand on his cheek. Once again, she felt him stiffen, but again he remained motionless, merely watching her. For a moment, Temari felt stupid more than anything else, remembering that this was her little brother. She had seen him grow up. She had seen him cry when he was a child – something only her and Kankuro were able to witness and escape with their lives. But as she looked into his eyes, what she saw there shocked her. He looked almost scared. If she pulled away now, it would break his heart, even more than it had already been broken.

Summoning her courage and using all her willpower to fight back the blush that was spreading on her cheeks, Temari leaned closer until she was only centimeters away from Gaara. She took a deep breath and finally closed the distance between them, pressing her lips lightly against Gaara’s. She felt him jump slightly and she moved her thumb gently over his cheek, trying to reassure him. Slowly Gaara’s lips mimicked the shape of hers, pressing closer to her, his eyes still open and looking at his sister in wonder. Temari cursed herself inwardly, knowing that she should stop, but deciding that if she was showing him only one thing, she would at least do it right, make it worth it.

She closed her eyes and parted her lips gently, letting her tongue run slowly along Gaara’s bottom lip. She heard him draw in a breath sharply, opening his mouth without intending to. Temari took the opportunity to gently coax Gaara’s lips further apart with her tongue, feeling him yield slowly. She allowed her tongue to slip into his mouth, exploring the warm cavity thoroughly. After a moment, Gaara allowed his tongue to brush against hers before letting their tongues entwine, moistening their lips with saliva. An involuntary moan escaped Temari’s throat and she felt Gaara shiver slightly.

Temari felt her heartbeat grow faster. She had only ever kissed a boy once before, and it was not like this. It was a shy, timid kiss, and they were both embarrassed by it, never speaking to each other again. Being the sister of the Suna monster meant that people tended to avoid her, and after that one failed attempt Temari no longer tried to get close to anyone. But she never imagined that her first real kiss would be her little brother. As the thought rose in her mind, she felt another surge of guilt, and moved to pull away from Gaara. But before she could do anything, Gaara’s hand came up behind her head, pressing her closer to him.

Temari knew better than to reject him. She allowed the kiss to deepen, her hand dropping from Gaara’s face to his shoulder while her other hand trailed absently up his chest. Gaara leaned closer towards his sister, wrapping one arm around her and pressing her body against his chest. Temari could not suppress another moan as she was crushed against him. She kept her eyes resolutely closed, as if by not seeing it she could pretend it wasn’t really her little brother she was kissing.

As they continued to kiss, Temari slowly became aware of the heat of Gaara’s body radiating through her. His fingers were tracing up and down her back, making small shivers run up her spine. His hand tangled in her hair, pulling out the hair ties and letting her locks fall loose around her shoulders. As Temari instinctively pressed closer to him, she wondered how Gaara could become so skilled at this by simply watching. Her contemplation was interrupted when she felt Gaara move closer, forcing her to lean back, pushing her down onto the bed.

“Gaara!” she cried out, breaking away from the kiss.

He silenced her, placing his mouth over hers once again. Temari tried to resist as he continued to push her down, but he overpowered her easily, and before she could do anything else, she was lying back against the pillows. She uncrossed her legs instinctively and Gaara positioned himself on top of her, his hands resting on either side of her body. Temari blushed immediately, realizing their position. She pulled back from the kiss again, turning her head away to the side.

“Gaara, stop,” she said desperately.

“Naze?” he asked, his tone seemingly indifferent.

“This is too far,” she answered, looking at him out of the corner of her eye, afraid to turn back towards him. “I said only one thing.”

“I’m only kissing you,” Gaara answered in the same even tone. “I haven’t done anything else.”

“Yeah… but…” Temari broke off, not sure how to argue that.

“I know you don’t really want me to stop,” Gaara said suddenly.

“Nani?” Temari exclaimed, turning back towards him without thinking.

“I can hear your heart beating faster,” Gaara answered calmly. “Your skin is getting warmer. Your breath is heavier. I’ve watched many times. I know when people want it and when they don’t.”

Temari was shocked and embarrassed at the same time. She had no idea that Gaara would have such a good grasp of what was going on. She couldn’t deny that she was responding to what was happening, but she knew that it was wrong. Gaara on the other hand didn’t seem to have any problem with it. If she told him the only reason she wanted him to stop was because it was wrong, she would probably only get herself into more trouble.

“Fine,” Temari said, knowing that she was making a mistake. “Just don’t do anything else.”

Gaara leaned down towards her, lowering his body and allowing his weight to press against her. His lips locked with hers again, her eyes sliding shut once again. Hesitantly, Temari wrapped her arms around Gaara, running her fingers absently down his back. She felt Gaara’s tongue trace her bottom lip, mimicking what she had done earlier, and she parted her lips obediently, allowing him to explore her mouth. When he withdrew his tongue, she felt his teeth graze her skin, drawing her lip into his mouth. He allowed his tongue to tease it before his teeth closed around it, slowly applying more pressure until his sharpened canines pierced through the skin. Temari gave a soft muffled cry as Gaara continued to suck on her lip, drawing out a small amount of blood.

She lost track of time as Gaara continued to kiss her. She didn’t stop him when he moved his hand, allowing his fingers to trace the contours of her body, exploring her curves. When his hand reached the bottom of her skirt, she trembled slightly, afraid of what he would do, but he merely pulled his hand away, gliding back to her waist. Her fingers tangled in the fabric of his shirt behind his back when he traced the outside of her breast lightly.

“Gaara…” Temari moaned softly as he pulled back from her slightly, forgetting that he would recognize the desire in that sound.

“Is this what love feels like?” he asked quietly, looking down at his sister as her eyes fluttered open.

“Things like these don’t always mean love,” Temari answered, trying to control her shaking voice.

“Not always?” Gaara asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. “How do you know the difference?”

“It’s the way it makes you feel,” Temari said softly.

“Do you love me, Temari?” he asked again.

“I love you, Gaara,” she answered, not realizing that she said it with much more passion than a sister should.

“Because you’re my sister?” he asked, almost sadly.

“No…” Temari answered, realizing that she was digging herself in deeper. “I love you just because I do.”

“Then how does it make you feel?” Gaara asked with a hint of curiosity.

“Gaara…” she said, starting to blush again. “You said you know how to recognize reactions.”

“I can see your reactions,” he said, his tone turning to desperation. “But I don’t know what you feel. I don’t know if you’re still afraid of me. I don’t know if you’re doing this just so I won’t hurt you.”

“Gaara…” Temari repeated, this time in a mixture of sadness and softness. “I’m not afraid of you. I want you to understand what it’s like to be happy.”

“Tell me, Temari,” his voice came almost as a sob before he added, almost under his breath. “I don’t know what I should feel.”

“I feel…” she swallowed, summoning her courage before continuing. “I feel like I never want you to stop. Like I want to hold you forever. I feel like nothing in the world matters except you, here with me. I feel… like I would give my life to make you happy.”

“Is that love?” he asked quietly as tears sparkled in Temari’s eyes.

“Hai,” she said softly. “But… Gaara… you are my brother. This is wrong.”

“You said love makes you happy,” he said barely above a whisper.

She nodded, looking up at him silently as he considered her for several moments.

“Temari…” he finally said, and she had to suppress a sob at the simple need in that sound. “Make it stop hurting.”

“Oh Gaara…” she whispered, unable to say anything else.

He moved towards her again and she leaned up to meet him, their lips coming together almost violently. Temari moaned against him as his hands glided over her form, her body trembling under his touch. She felt his hands slip under her and she yielded as he began to untie her sash, pulling it away before discarding it on the floor. Gaara broke the kiss, shifting slightly to trail his lips along her neck, letting his teeth graze the skin lightly. Her arms tightened around him, pressing him just a little bit closer.

“Gaara,” she said quietly. “Just… go slow.”

“I won’t hurt you, Temari,” Gaara answered, his breath warm against her shoulder.

She nodded as his hand trailed to the waist of her loose shirt, running along the hem of the fabric before slipping under it. Temari gasped slightly as his fingers touched her bare stomach, the heat of his touch burning her skin. A moan escaped her lips as Gaara ran his tongue along her neck, tracing the line of her throbbing vein. His hand travelled further up Temari’s body, pulling the shirt up with it. She felt him stop just under her bra, pulling back slightly to look at her. Temari smiled softly, pulling herself up towards Gaara and lifting her back off the bed. Understanding immediately, Gaara moved his hand behind her back, dragging the shirt up and over her head. Temari lifted her arms as she lay back down, allowing the shirt to slip off and slide to the floor.

She felt the fabric of Gaara’s shirt rub against her skin as he leaned down towards her, catching her lips once again. His hand travelled to her skirt, sliding down the short length of the material before running along her thigh. Temari moaned against his lips, arching up towards him. His fingers captured the bottom of her skirt, tugging it down gently. Gaara broke the kiss, pulling back until he was kneeling in front of her as his hands pulled the skirt further down Temari’s legs. Temari lifted up from the bed slightly, allowing him to pull the skirt off, then shifting her legs to let the garment slide off completely. Before Gaara could move back towards her, Temari sat up, running her hands gently over his chest. He looked at her questioningly as she started to unbutton his shirt.

“Naze?” he asked, watching her fingers slowly pulling his shirt apart.

“Just shut up and stop asking questions,” Temari answered. “You should know anyway.”

Gaara’s arms slid around her as she continued to unbutton his shirt, letting the fabric fall open. When the last button came loose, Temari reached up to his shoulders, gently pushing the shirt down and letting it fall to the floor, leaving only mesh covering Gaara’s chest. She slid her hands to the bottom of the fishnet shirt, curling her fingers at the hem of the material and slowly starting to pull it up. Gaara lifted his arms obediently, allowing Temari to pull the fishnet off. As the shirt fell to the floor, Temari dragged her fingers over Gaara’s exposed chest, feeling him shiver slightly at the touch. His hands came up behind her again, tracing the line of her bra on her back. Temari pressed closer to him as his fingers began to unlatch the bra hooks.

She leaned in, her lips brushing against his as the bra came undone, falling loose on her shoulders. Gaara traced up the straps of her bra, slowly tugging the garment over her shoulders and down her arms. Temari pulled back slightly, allowing the bra to slip off. As the garment fell away, Gaara’s fingers rested over Temari’s collarbones. He looked at her hesitantly before allowing his fingers to slide down, gliding over the curve of her breasts.

“Gaara…” Temari moaned under her breath, her eyes closing.

After a moment, Gaara dropped his hands, wrapping them around her waist as Temari arched her back, throwing back her head. He leaned down, running his tongue along her breast. Temari let out a soft cry, her hands tangling in Gaara’s hair, pressing him closer to her. She could feel heat building up in the pit of her stomach and spreading through her body, erasing any remaining feelings of guilt she was still harboring. Slowly Gaara lowered her down onto the bed while he remained kneeling in front of her. He allowed his hands to glide along the length of her body, running from her shoulders down to her thighs before coming back to the waist of her panties.

“You are beautiful, Temari,” he said quietly.

“Gaara…” she whispered softly.

She saw him hesitate as his fingers slipped a fraction under the band of her panties. He looked at her questioningly, as if unsure if he should really do this.

“I’m yours, Gaara,” Temari said as her eyes locked on his.

“You won’t leave me?” he asked, his voice shaking slightly. “You won’t run from me?”

“Never,” she answered firmly, a small smile on her lips.

Gaara allowed his fingers to tug the garment down carefully as Temari shifted to accommodate him. She shivered slightly as Gaara pulled the garment down over her legs and she could feel a barely perceptible tremble in his fingers as they glided back up towards her waist. Gaara edged slightly closer, so that Temari’s thighs rested on his bent legs, her heat radiating against his body. He slid one hand up to her waist, holding her down firmly, while his other hand travelled slowly between her legs. Temari trembled, feeling the light touch of his fingers and arching towards him instinctively.

Gaara continued to slowly apply more pressure, watching as his sister’s face grew more and more flushed, her moans coming in gasps. Temari leaned into him, whimpering slightly and biting her lip lightly as she tossed her head from side to side, her blonde hair fanning out over the pillow. She wondered again how he was able to master this so easily through just watching, suddenly feeling more like he was teaching her than the other way around. The thought that her little brother was doing this to her quickly became a sinful pleasure rather than guilt and she moaned his name unashamed. She opened her eyes, looking up at him pleadingly.

“Gaara… I want… I need you,” Temari cried out softly.

Gaara stopped, looking down at his sister silently, his eyes sparkling with desire – seeming like an odd mixture of blood lust and something soft. He pulled back, resting his hands on either side of her body and moving towards her slowly, crawling on top of her, his look predatory as he came closer. He hovered over her, looking down into her face. Temari reached down between them, frantically unbuttoning and unzipping his pants, tugging at the garments and pulling them down as far as she could reach. She hooked her toe into the waist of his garments, pulling them over his legs as Gaara shifted his feet to allow the material to slip off.

“Why do you need me, Temari?” Gaara whispered, almost in a hiss.

“Because I love you,” she answered breathlessly. “Because I want you here with me, always.”

“Always?” he asked thoughtfully.

“Always,” Temari answered firmly, gasping as he pressed against her.

Gaara leaned down and ran his tongue along his sister’s lips, making her whimper quietly. He pulled back to watch her face as he pushed inside her while Temari let out a strangled cry. Gaara moved experimentally, feeling a shiver pass through Temari’s body as she moaned softly.

“Don’t stop,” she whispered, her eyes sliding shut.

Gaara moved his hands under Temari’s body, pressing her against him as he resumed his movements. Temari nuzzled her face in his neck, her moans echoing in his ear as her legs wrapped around him, pressing him to her. Her nails dug into his skin as she dragged her fingers over his back. Gaara let out a low hiss as he moved a little rougher, pulling back slightly to look at her, never ceasing his movement as his lips brushed against hers.

“Say it,” he commanded. “Say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours, Gaara,” Temari replied obediently. “Always.”

“Always?” he asked again.

“Always,” Temari answered, catching his mouth in a gentle kiss.

“Mine,” he hissed against her lips before letting his tongue slip inside her mouth.

Temari moaned into the kiss as Gaara gradually began to move faster, his movements more firm, more insistent. Gaara’s breathing was heavy against her as he moved to trail his tongue along her shoulder and neck, placing light bites on her skin wherever he touched. Temari’s moans turned into screams of ecstasy as she arched into him.

“Mine,” she heard Gaara whisper into her ear as his hand trailed over her body.

“Gaara,” was the only reply she could manage before another scream escaped her lips.

Temari’s nails drew blood on his back and she felt sand wrapping around her ankles lightly, as if reminding her that she did not have control. Gaara ignored this, retaliating by biting into Temari’s shoulder, drawing a small trickle of blood into his mouth. Temari’s screams peaked as she felt her muscles shaking, the tightness in her stomach growing.

“Don’t stop,” she gasped against Gaara’s cheek as his movements began to lose rhythm. “Please, don’t stop.”

“Temari…” he hissed, drawing in a breath as his fingers bruised her back while he pressed her closer.

The sensation began to overpower Temari as the strange warmth spread from somewhere inside her through her limbs, making her whimper something incomprehensible. She screamed his name as waves of pleasure passed through her body, making her shudder with each new ripple. Gaara let out a gasp, the feeling making him lose control as his nails dug into her skin. Abandoning all pretense, he moaned against her neck, listening to her whisper his name again.

Temari wrapped her arms tighter around her little brother, both of them gasping as they tried to catch their breath. Slowly Gaara rolled over to lie beside her, their legs still tangled together while his hand rested on her waist. Temari turned to face him, their breath mingling as they looked at each other.

“I love you, Gaara,” she said softly as she leaned in to kiss him. She nuzzled against him, her eyelids growing heavy as she tried to fight off sleep.

“Stay with me?” Temari asked hopefully as her eyes closed.

“Always, Temari,” Gaara answered, and she smiled as she drifted off to sleep.

Temari woke up in the morning to find Gaara sitting on the edge of her bed and pulling on his shirt. He stood up and looked back at her, as she sat up in bed, pulling the sheet up to cover her naked body. He searched her eyes, trying to see if there was guilt or regret in them, but Temari only smiled at him. His gaze fell to her shoulder, where a small spot of dried blood could be seen over bruised skin. Gaara considered her silently for a moment before turning to leave the room. He took only a few steps down the hallway before seeing Kankuro come through the front door. Gaara said nothing as he continued to walk, passing Kankuro who went in the other direction. When Gaara was a few steps behind him, he suddenly stopped.

“Kankuro…” he said quietly, making the puppeteer halt in his tracks and look back at his younger brother. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry we were never able to be a family.”

The look of shock washed over Kankuro’s face. If he did not see Gaara’s mouth moving as he spoke over his shoulder, he would not have believed that the words came from him.

“I-it’s ok, Gaara,” he stammered, unsure what to say. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Gaara merely nodded as he walked to the front door and left the hotel without another word. Kankuro turned to Temari’s room, seeing the door slightly ajar. He walked up quickly, pushing the door open. As he took in the scene before his eyes, he gasped, shaking his head with disbelief. Temari still sat naked on the bed, holding up the sheet to her chest to cover her body. Kankuro immediately noted the bruise on her shoulder. His eyes narrowed.

“What the fuck happened?” he asked, his voice wavering between anger and confusion.

“He wanted to know,” Temari answered weakly, with a small shrug.

“So you showed him?!” Kankuro exclaimed, outraged, taking a step further into the room.

“He looked so hurt…” Temari said quietly. “I couldn’t say no.”

“Fuck, Temari, you’re messed up,” Kankuro shook his head, pulling up a chair and sitting beside her bed. “At least Gaara doesn’t know any better.”

“Everything about our family is fucked up,” she answered with a sneer. “Does this really make it so much worse?”

“Yeah… but…” Kankuro stammered. “This is Gaara… That’s fucked up on so many levels.”

“He just wants to be loved,” Temari answered softly.

“Why do you have to be the one to do it?” Kankuro countered angrily.

“Kankuro,” Temari said, looking at him skeptically. “Are you jealous?”

Kankuro gasped, his mouth falling open as he looked at her. Temari saw a range of emotions reflected on his face as he struggled to find an answer.

“Maybe…” he said finally, hanging his head to avoid her eyes.

“Well maybe you should ask Gaara if he wants to learn about threesomes,” Temari said with a small laugh.

Kankuro looked up at her and grinned.

Nobody noticed that Gaara stood a little closer to his sister than usual as they taught at the academy that day. But everyone saw Kankuro pull his brother aside during break, laying a hand on his shoulder tentatively. No one could make out the words Kankuro said, but the look of shock on Gaara’s face was clear before he turned to meet his brother’s gaze and nodded silently.