Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Loveless Suna ❯ Chapter 23 ( Chapter 23 )

Beta: SilverTwilight88

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

“Let's make a deal.” Gaara proposed when I got out of the shower.

“Hmm...What?” I asked drying my hair with a towel.

“I'll help you train if you'll help me with some paperwork.”

`That means spending a whole day with him.' “It's a deal.” I sealed it with a kiss and went to the closet to pick out my clothes. After we both were ready the redhead led me to his office. He put another chair next to his and signed that I could sit down on it. Then he took his own place and started to go through some papers that had been put on his desk by his assistant, who was being a busy bee from the moment we walked in. He dropped some more dossiers on the desk and the Kazekage nodded that he could go. Silently he closed the door behind him.

“Could you classify these?” He gave me a pile of files and pulled another for himself. While Gaara was writing them, I was filing them alphabetically.

“This really goes a lot faster when you're with two people.” Gaara's assistant smiled, I found out his name was Washi, and exchanged the ordered pile for a messy one.

I did notice that the redhead had shackled me to the desk while his assistant was running up and down through the office.

“How come I've never seen him before?” I asked Gaara when Washi left the office again.

“Normally, he works in his own office but since you're here…” He explained.

“Then why don't I work in his office, maybe that's a lot easier?” A glare told me differently. “Sorry.” I said slightly mumbling. I could understand after last night that he didn't want me out of his sight.

We continued working in silence until I just had to stretch myself; my back had turned incredibly stiff from sitting. After finishing the last pile that Washi brought I let out a sigh of relief and Gaara eyed me from the corner of his eye.

“I think that's enough of classifying for today.” He decided and I nodded vigorously. “Then the last thing I'm going to ask of you is to make a report about yesterday.” While saying this he was looking concerned at me for my reaction. I paled a little at the memory but nodded. He gave me a piece of paper and with a last glance got back to work.

`I had just forgotten about it.' I thought pouting to myself, but after a little pep talk I quickly wrote the report. `Did I actually see anything amiss yesterday?' I asked rereading what I had written, but couldn't come up with anything. `Until Kankuro pulled my chopsticks out of my hands I was having a normal dinner.' I sighed. I really wasn't any help.

“Done?” Gaara interrupted my thoughts and when I looked at him he still had that concern look in his eyes.

“Yeah, I was just trying to remember if there was anything suspicious yesterday.” His blue-green oceans got a hopeful spark in them. “But everything looked normal.” I sighed, destroying the spark.

“Don't worry we'll find out who did it.” The redhead tried to put me at ease.

“Yeah and I hope before the next attempt.” The Kazekage looked surprised at me.

“What you didn't think I would be smart enough to know there'll be more attacks?”

“I was hoping you didn't.” He answered honestly.

“Sorry, I'm not that naive.” I shot back monotonic and got a `sorry' look back.

“Let's take a break.” Gaara said in the end.

“Great idea!” I gave him my report and got up. Stretching my back again I saw the Kazekage arrange a couple of files before also getting up. Then he made a couple of hand signs and a clone popped up next to him.

`Two Gaara's, yummy.' I sniggered a little in myself while the clone got his unspoken orders before taking in the Kazekage seat.

“Let's go and have lunch.” Gaara said while he was leading me out of his office with a hand on my back.

“Do you always leave a clone to do your work when you're gone?” I teased him. Actually I found it a smart idea, this way more would be done in a period of time.

“Only today, since we got up late and I'm going to train you.” The redhead answered and I let a little `Oh' come out of my mouth. Then something registered in my head.

“Wait, it's already noon?” A nod told me so. “Wow, then we really slept long.” I mumbled.

“You must be hungry. You didn't have dinner last night and we also skipped it this morning.” This was the first time Gaara really was trying to keep the conversation going.

“What would you like?” He tried to get me away from the last night memory.

“Pancakes!” I cheered pretending I was alright.

“Pancakes?” He asked surprised.

“What you don't know what pancakes are?” My mouth almost fell open from shock. `I do hope they have pancakes here or else he's probably questioning my memory loss.' “I'll make them for you.” I kept my happy mask on and accelerated my pace.

Once in the kitchen I rushed to the cook, while Gaara took place at the table. After a little search and help of the redhead's sand I found all the ingredients and an apron. A couple of minutes later I had baked six pancakes, three for each of us.

“Now you would need to put some syrup on it, but I didn't find any… sorry.” I apologized, but his sand was already taking something out of a cupboard. He gave a small bottle to me and when I tasted it from my finger I decided that it really was syrup.

“Alright, pour this over it and roll it up.” I demonstrated it and he played copy cat. His face told me that he was sold from the first bite.

“How do you actually know to make these things? Is your memory coming back?” Gaara asked and I noticed the nervous look in his eyes. I swallowed my last part of my lunch and bit my lip.

“I do remember my past.” I confessed and the Kazekage looked surprised, but serious back. “But I'm not ready to talk about it.” The seagreen eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I'm not a missing nin or something! If I was you would have discovered it ages ago especially with that war and all.” Gaara relaxed again. He believed me or he wanted to believe me.

“And I don't have anywhere else to go but here.” This made the redhead smile a little. Clearly he had been worried about that.

“Alright, let's start your training.” He changed the subject while getting up.

“Okay, let me first clean up.” I said and piled up our plates.

“A maid can do that.” The look I got made me realize that our Kazekage was a little spoiled.

“At least let me put it in water.” A thoughtful nod gave me permission and I couldn't help but giggle when I turned my back at him.

“I'm done.” I closed the tap, put the apron back in its spot and turned around to meet a very sexy scene.

Gaara was standing in the doorway, leaning against the framework with a smirk on his face and predator's look in his eyes.

“You really do look great.”

“Washing up?” I asked teasingly while walking over to him.

“Washing up, making lunch, in an apron…” He straightened himself and pulled me in his arms. One of his hands slide upwards until it could cup my face. His thumb caressed my lips opening them a little while the predator look in his eyes changed into a dreamy one. He bent forward and kissed me gently.

“Gaara?” I whispered when the contact between our lips was broken.

“Hmm.” I didn't dare to look up for what I was going to say.

“If… I were to die… don't go back to shutting out all the love around you.” I begged and finally looked up. He looked shocked.

“You're not going to die!” He ordered me and crushed me completely against his body. I slowly wrapped my arms around him “I won't let you.” I felt his breath in my hair.

“Promise me!” I whispered with trouble. `Whatever, happens to me, I won't let him go back to being loveless Suna.'

“Fine, I promise.” The Kazekage pouted like a little kid, giving me some breathing room and I gave him a kiss as reward.

“Now let's go train.” I changed the subject and pulled him with me to the training room.

-

“With what do you want to start?” Gaara asked after changing in his battle gear.

“Sparring with kunais.” I said pulling my weapon out of my bag. My partner let his sand make his kunai and got in his stand. I nodded that he could begin and he disappeared from sight. Just in time I could block his attack with large eyes.

`He's fast and I know he isn't even at his best.' He changed directions and attacked again. A bloody cut was the result, but the next one I stopped.

`Well, I should be happy that he's taking this serious enough to wound me.' I mustered blocking him again, but the next one gave me another cut through the first one. I hissed in pain, but didn't dare to look at the wound.

`It's probably an `X' shape.' Let's say that at the end of our sparring I was bleeding, sweating and panting a lot while Gaara looked like he hadn't even started.

“Let's stop.” He decided and when I nodded quickly his face finally showed some emotions again. He walked to me and quickly started to heal my wounds.

“They're all superficial.” I sighed happy with the disappearing pain.

“You did well.” The redhead complemented me.

“You really think so?” A nod gave the answer. “But against the Kazekage I'm clearly nothing.” I pouted cutely which made him smirk.

“That's also correct.”

“Hey, you should be telling me that I'll be just as strong as you one day.” I said with a fake hurt expression.

“Certainly, one day.” Gaara answered playful and straightened himself. After checking my wounds I found none. “I'm glad that you're finally starting to feel the presence of others.” The redhead continued complementing me.

“Only when I'm concentrating, a surprise attack is still going to get me.” I confessed. “But I guess every step forward is a good one.” I reasoned. I got a nod and a small smile back.

“So, what do you want to do now?” I asked without getting an answer. “Let's go into town.” I suggested and watched the considering face of the Kazekage weighed the advantages and consequences.

“You're against it.” I mumbled seeing his final expression. “But this way we could show my murderer that we're not scared of him… or her. Let's define him… her, whatever.” Gaara's face called me nuts.

“It isn't like they'll dare to try anything when you're with me… and maybe they'll get careless and make a mistake.” I suggested a really tempting the situation.

“Fine, but you'll stay close to me at all times!” He glared at me.

“Yes, Sir!” I saluted him. He gave me an odd look, but chose to ignore my oddness.

-

“This is so pretty!” I squealed staring, almost drooling at a gorgeous necklace. I didn't even notice Gaara sign the shop owner and point to the necklace. Only, when it got taking out of the glass cupboard I got back to reality.

“Wow, Gaara, you don't have to buy it!” I said surprised.

“Don't you want it?” His monotone voice asked without emotions.

“Yeah, but…” I started, but he ignored me and continued buying the necklace.

“Put it on.” He said when he got the necklace in his hands. Obeying I turned around and removed my hair from my neck. After he put it on I turned back to him.

“Gorgeous.” The shop owner sighed and the Kazekage nodded agreeing. He seemed very satisfied when we left the store.

“You really shouldn't have.” I mumbled caressing the jewel.

“Don't you like getting things from me?” Gaara ask monotone, but I could see the frustration and hurt in his eyes.

“I love it…, but I just don't want you to start spoiling me with material stuff and think that's enough.” I confessed stopping the caress movement, but my fingertips stayed on the metal.

“Don't worry, that'll never happen. You won't let it!” That last sentence made me teasingly, stick out my tongue and for the first time Gaara laughed in public.

-

“I'll get my nightdress.” We were standing in front of our rooms and I had decided that I wanted to sleep in Gaara's bed again. I just liked the idea of being completely surrounded by his smell, it made me feel safe.

He nodded and walked in his room. With a small smile I entered my own and noticed a stinking smell.

“What is this?” I questioned myself and switched on the lights. I saw a bump on my bed and curiosity got me. I pulled the sheets of it and screamed my longs out.

In an instance Gaara rushed in my room and caught me before I fell on the ground.

The poisoned kangaroo rat was lying dissected on my bed.

Stephke23: A little explanation: the dissection was done by Gaara's men, who were trying to find out which poison it was and someone stole the poor animal from them. Review hunnies!