This plot has been haunting me for weeks; I had to get it down. Anyway, enjoy!
Standard disclaimer applies.
The esteemed Kazekage was doing work at his desk.
Well, technically, he wasn't, because all he really was doing was paper work. And Gaara didn't call paperwork work despite the fact that work was right in there, in the word paperwork, which meant exactly what it sounds like, work with paper included.
But. Gaara didn't think so.
So correction: the esteemed Kazekage was doing paperwork at his desk.
At one time in his life, Gaara had been innocent to these evil plagues. At one time, Gaara didn't see the problem with dong paperwork. At one time, Gaara thought that paperwork was weak and didn't deserve his attention. If he was ever faced with the task of doing paperwork, he would probably terrify Kankuro or Temari into doing it for him. He would never know its true potential.
Now he did.
Gaara rubbed his eyes. True, he could kill hundreds and not bat an eye, but doing paperwork mysteriously zapped all of his chakra away. It was curious, and Gaara wondered if doing the Kazekage's paperwork would be a good interrogation technique for Suna.
He wasn't even supposed to be doing this. Technically Kankuro, his self-appointed personal assistant was supposed to handle the paperwork. But Kankuro was so distracted and unorganized all the time that he always absentmindedly wrote the wrong things. At one point, he had accidentally named himself the Kazekage.
Did the people of Suna appreciate all of his paperwork? Didn't they notice all the "Kazekage-approved" laws and help?
Gaara banged his head on the desk, which never really used to happen before but kept happening now.
Somebody knocked smartly on the door and Gaara nodded a little feebly. Was it yet another shinobi bearing more paperwork?
It was Matsuri. She walked briskly into the office, without paperwork, he noted.
"Kazekage-sama, there has been a change of plans regarding your meeting with the Konoha ambassador," she began with no preamble. "The ambassador is ill. The Hokage sent a substitute."
He scowled, wondering if Shikamaru, the conniving bastard really was ill. "I see."
Matsuri paused, a hesitation in his business-like countenance. He ignored this and went back grudgingly to his paperwork.
"Kazekage-sama," she said after a while. "Don't you want to know who the alternative ambassador is?"
"Why should I?"
She faltered. "You know the ambassador personally," she said hesitantly. "Perhaps if you know who it was in advance, then you could see how you could use her personality to Suna's advantage?"
The reason sunk into the irritated Gaara. "Fine," he snapped.
"The ambassador from Konoha is Hyuuga Hinata, heiress to Hyuuga, one of the noble families of the Land of Fire. She helped fight with us against Seimei, when—"She stopped to stare tat the Kazekage. "Kazekage-sama, is something the matter?"
Gaara was scowling. "Hyuuga Hinata, huh?" His tone suggested displeasure.
Matsuri stared at him. "You don't like Hyuuga-san?"
"Not really: he said, and he ignored Matsuri's confused and surprised face as he resumed his attack on the paperwork.
The Kazekage and an ambassador to Konoha always had lunch together every month. It was by no means an enjoyable lunch, because it would always end after hours of bitter negotiation. Shikamaru had preferred eating silently and usually negotiated afterwards. Gaara had no idea what she would want. It was irritating, really, getting to know new people.
Matsuri knocked on his door briskly at 12:45 sharp. Gaara scowled again. How troublesome…wait…what did he just think?
"The ambassador from Konoha is waiting, Kazekage-sama," she said easily. She hesitated again. "She's very, very…nervous, Kazekage-sama," she added in a whisper.
The Kazekage ignored that.
"Bring her in," he reluctantly ordered. Less than a minute later the ambassador shuffled into view, steered in by a firm Matsuri. The ambassador gave the two one furtive look before shutting the door behind her.
There was an uncomfortable silence almost at once. The ambassador hesitated, opting to stay by the door, safely away.
"K-kazekage-sama," she acknowledged with a bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you…uh, again."
He merely blinked.
He was not making it easy for her.
Bravely she tried again. She gestured uselessly. "I am, temporarily, replacing Shikamaru-kun—I mean…" she faltered at his sudden glare. "I-I mean, the current Konoha ambassador. To Suna," she added. She looked hopefully up for a reaction.
None came.
"I head th-that we were to discuss matters over lunch. I myself have never t-tasted Suna food before," she stammered out. She had obviously diligently memorized this phrase with Shikamaru. It might have worked if he was more indulgent.
"Or we could discuss here," she added hurriedly. "Without having lunch. It's your choice Kazekage-sama." She tangled her fingers together almost frenetically. "Or…um…"
She waited for a reaction.
She was pretty patient, he thought. He had to give her some credit. But he wouldn't give in.
"Excuse me, K-kazekage-sama—" She froze in anticipation as he held up a hand.
She waited eagerly for him—
To cough.
If he were lesser of a man, he would have laughed at the shock and disappointment on her face. Instead he kept a straight face.
And then he felt it.
It was a tangible gigantic enormously huge crack. Was it an earthquake? he wondered.
The ambassador crossed his room in five large strides, her arms crossed over her chest defiantly.
"Listen here, Kazekage-sama," she said, the steel in her voice obvious. "We are going to cooperate today." She strode forward so she was almost on top of his desk. "We are going to have lunch and we will discuss matters at hand! Now is not the time to play mind games." Almost instinctively she leaned forward. "Konoha ambassadors are sent here for a reason!"
Gaara blinked several times before fully grasping what the ambassador had said. What had Tsunade made out of little Hyuuga Hinata?
She leaned closer, and suddenly Gaara couldn't concentrate.
"Good point," he said hastily, inching away from her angry face. "We must discuss the matters at hand. Konoha is a good ally to us," he blurted out rather nervously. "Yes, we must, uh, reconnect with, uh—"
He face calmed and became serene again. She smiled and inched away. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama," she said cheerfully. "Shall we go?" She stood.
Sometimes, during important moments, you feel as if you are watching in slow motion. And suddenly Gaara sat still and watched as she stood, tripped on a pen Kankuro must have dropped weeks ago, knocked over his desk, and tipped over the coffee.
The coffee slowly teetered on its edge and fell with a resounding clatter over the paperwork Gaara had so diligently been going through.
At first, he sat perfectly still as he stared at his ruined paperwork. There was no feeling in him, only grim horror.
"O-oh, I'm so very sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll—uh—pay for the mess and if it's fine I could do the work—but I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm s-sorry! I'm—"
He ignored her as he surveyed the coffee-stained papers. Her voice was so annoying, like a fly.
"—sorry! So so so so so so sorry!" She took a deep breath. "I c-could a-a-ask—"
"I don't like you," he said suddenly, and the ambassador winced.
"U-uh, again, I'm very, very sor—"
"I don't even think you as an acquaintance. Not even as a kunoichi. Not as a healer, not like anything." He sighed. Doing all this paperwork again would be horrible.
He didn't see the ambassador freeze to stare at him contemplatively. No doubt it would make him self-conscious.
"Excuse me, K-kazekage-sama, what do you think of me then?"
Now it was his turn to freeze.
He glanced warily at the ambassador. "Why would you even want to know?" he countered.
"W-well, because….I r-respect you, Kazekage-sama."
He looked at her, surprised. She was growing a shade of strong magenta.
And she wasn't the only one going red.
"Well, uh—" He turned away so as not to show her the red tinge creeping dangerously up his cheeks. "I suppose I think of you neutrally," he got out. Then he vaguely wondered if touching her cheek to feel how warm it was was neutral.
He banged his head on the desk. Obviously not.
"K-kazekage-sama! What is the matter?"
"Nothing."
"O-oh."