ABC'S: Acknowledgement

Pairings: GaaMatsu and KankuSaku

Genre: Slight Romance and major embarrassment for Matsuri

Rating:PG

Gaara's POV

"Oi! Little brother! Are you even listening to me?" I turned to my Kankuro in confusion, I didn't even see him a few minutes ago. "Did you hear a word I just said?" I just stared at him, I could easily see the fatigue shadowing in his eyes. He took my silence as a 'yes' and rubbed his face. He asked, "Do you have Sakura's visa ready yet?" Oh, yes, that. My elder brother is engaged to Sakura Haruno, the Fifth Hokage's former apprentice. Lately, the council had been pressuring them to get married as soon as possible. Their wedding was in five days and every day seemed to get more hectic. The council had made their wedding into the "social" and "political" event in the whole of shinobi world. Three kages including myself was going to be present at this wedding; Lady Fifth Hokage, The fourth Raikage, and myself. All Kankuro and Sakura want is a quiet wedding on the only beach in the Land of Wind.

"It's on your bed." I replied.

Kankuro looked upward and mouthed but didn't actually say, "Thank you the universe!" There were times when I really wanted to know what was going inside my brother's head and other times I really didn't want to know. However, this instance I was inwardly debating which would be less confusing.

"Kankuro!" My brother and I looked to the direction of the female voice, and turns out to be the soon-to-be Sakura no Sabaku herself. "I've been looking all over for you. I need to show you something." Kankuro followed his rosette fiancé out the door into his room. Alone at last. If I could ban political and social formings on my brother's wedding, I would more than gladly do so.

"Sensei?" I turned around to another female voice to see my own former student looking at me with eyes than seemed to hold meekness; something that I haven't seen in her for a long time.

"Yes Matsuri?" She shifted her gaze away from me; a red tint started to enflame her cheeks.

"Have you seen Temari or Sakura?"

"Sakura is with Kankuro and Temari went back to the Hidden Leaf Village this morning." If it was possible, her cheeks were as red as my hair. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes." A one-word answer, something that she never gave me.

"What is it?" Her cheeks flared red even more. I frowned. "I am more than willing to help you with any problem that you have."

"That's all right, I'm sure I can find Sari or Lana somewhere. I wouldn't want to be a bother to you." Silently, my sand blocks her entrance to the door and cover every window that she might crawl out of to not answer my question.

"What's wrong?" Matsuri's hands clench into a fist and I silently realize what she's wearing; an unzipped jacket and a blue dress that wonderfully complemented her fair skin. She stayed quiet and I inwardly sighed. "Matsuri, you have never been a bother to me and never will be. Now answer my question, what's wrong?"

"My dress." Her dress? What about it?

"More than two words Matsuri." Once again, Matsuri broke eye contact with me and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"I need someone to fix it." Wow, only six words. This has got to be the least she's ever said to me.

"What's wrong with it?"

"It needs to be fixed."

"Matsuri." I was slowly losing my patience for her. She needs to stop talking in riddles and just blurt it out.

"I need someone to zip up my dress for me."

"Turn around." Her eyes slowly widen and was about to protest, but I grabbed her upper right arm and turned her around. I was met with her unzipped jacket.

She epped, "Gaara-sensei, it's alright. I'm sure I can find Sari or Lana to zip it up for me. You don't need to-"

"Matsuri." Now this was the kunoichi I knew all too well. Her shoulders slid down in defeat and she removed her jacket and closely held it to her chest. Now I could clearly see part of her bare back, her skin was flawless except for an almost faded scar. I traced said scar and she shivered. Curiosity was getting the better of me. "How did you get this scar?"

"It was a mission to the Land of Grass, we were protecting the head of the Calder family from the Land of Rivers. We encountered some ninja from the Sound Village and they immediately threw kunai at us. I was caught in Sari's explosion and was unconscious for almost four days." I frowned; Matsuri wasn't telling me something. "It was right after you became our Kazekage." I zipped up her dress and she muttered a 'thank you' to me. Since when had Matsuri grown up? What happened to that shy academy girl who was afraid of weapons? Matsuri now faced me and she was fiddling with her jacket.

"When was the last time you trained?" Matsuri finally made eye contact with me, but only for a few seconds.

"Well, since I'm going to be in Sakura and Kankuro's wedding, everything has been so crazy and I haven't really had time for myself lately. I honestly can't remember when my last mission was."

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"I'm free in the evening."

"Training at sunset."

"Now, remind me again when the last time was you trained Matsuri."

"I don't remember." Kankuro had a very bewildered expression on his face.

"Then why start up with her training again now? My wedding is in five days and as one of Sakura's bridesmaids, Matsuri has endless errands she has to help Sakura with."

"She said she was free in the evening." I turned around to look at my older brother, he was shaking his head slightly.

He muttered under his breath, "And some people say me and Sakura were blind."

End

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