Vanilla Ice Cream with Rainbow Sprinkles
[Gaara One-shot]
It's a sad day when Uzumaki Naruto has to be the one to remind you of your own birthday. How I forgot, I have no idea. Maybe it's been the endless amount of work and not keeping track of time. Ever since my promotion, I've been given the role of building a stone sculpture of the Virgin Mary as a religious artwork for one of my clients and let me just say, it's no easy job. My work ethic had become so dedicated that I even forget to sleep, spending nights on end hammering away with an extra sharp kunai, which never felt sharp enough. What's worse was that I could see the 'Come to bed, your exhausted.' looks that I was getting from Gaara and the worried gazes washed a wave of guilt through me every time.
So when I was dragged to Ichiraku Ramen and Naruto treats me to ramen, I knew there was something up.
"Naruto-kun, I don't understand this." Said ninja looked up at me with big bright pools of blue and smiled, except he was slightly hunched over his 5 bowls and had 2 pairs of chopsticks in his hands for faster consumption. Not to mention the mouthful of ramen already in his mouth.
"What do you mean Amai-chan? You deserve this on your special day!" The words came out in a jumbled mess and I forced myself not to laugh at his display, but he saw and swallowed the food with a grin of satisfaction. I jokingly shook my head and broke my pair of chopsticks, smiling as Ayame handed me my Corn and Miso soup.
"Special day...?" I let my chopsticks swirl around the soup, before finally scooping up some of it. Naruto stopped his attack on the bowl of Ramen and looked at me like I had a clown attached to my head.
"Your birthday, dattebayo!"
"WAHH?!" I fell backwards in my chair and Naruto gave me a 'Wtf' face. Regaining my composure, I laughed slightly as my hand scratched the back of my head. "Oh right. Heh, I must have forgot about it."
The blue-eyed ninja looked at me and studied my face before he resumed to his half empty bowl. With that one look, he knew that something was horribly wrong, but he didn't bring it up – which is something I've very grateful for. He picked up his bowl with his palms and downed what was left of it. I felt Ayame's disturbed stare in the background. Naruto, oblivious to the disturbed Ayame, sighed loudly and rubbed his half-full tummy with a grin
"Ah bill this to Kakashi-sensei's account." Ayame nodded silently and there was exactly 5 seconds of silence before I mass of smoke appeared, making me cough up a storm.
"Naruto!" The copy nin appeared and smacked the kitsune on the back of his head with a displeased eye. Naruto covered his head in fear and pleaded for forgiveness as the beating began. I inched my way to the side of the shop as I got front row tickets to the death of Naruto Uzumaki. Ayame appeared a minute later with a smile on her face.
"Kakashi-san, the money has been billed to your account." She added with a pleased face and Kakashi stopped his abuse to slowly turn his head to her and a happy crease in his eye.
"Of course." The grey haired turned to me and bowed slightly to me as Naruto was dragged kicking and screaming out of the shop by the crown of his ear.
"AMAI! TRY TO ENJOY YOUR BIRTHDAY. IT ONLY COMES ONCE A YEAR. OW!" Ahh, advice from the soon to be Hokage. Epic. I smiled and waved as the two ninjas walked out of site and got up, deciding that it was time to go home.
"Gaara, I'm home!" I yelled as I opened the front door, but sighed in disappointment when I heard no reply.
Suddenly I realized how much we've drifted apart. He could be on a mission right now and I probably wouldn't know because everything he says goes through one ear and out the other. I've been deliberately pushing him away because I put my work before him. Every time Gaara would try to talk to me, my work would be my main topic and I would quickly make all my time for my art and refuse to spend any time with him. My heart sank as I realized he could have left me days ago and I probably wouldn't have noticed. No wonder he's not home; he probably wants nothing to do with me.
Feeling like a mess, I closed the door behind me and unconsciously headed to the workroom. Realizing how my body naturally headed there made me feel even more out of place as I made my way up the stairs. Did I really do this everyday? Amai, your a mess. As I put my hand on the handle, I found it locked. Now, I'm no shinobi and my observation skills are lacking, but when I checked out the keyhole, cemented sand laid embedded in the hole – successfully destroying the once working lock. My eyes widened in shock and annoyance.
"Gaara..." my tone turned threatening and I felt feather light sand wrap itself around my waist, pulling me backwards until I felt the familiar presence of the red head behind me. "You can't do this. You know how close my deadline is." The sand was around my waist was replaced by two strong arms and I felt Gaara's head gently lay on top of mine.
"As long as I have sand, I can do anything." His calm voice run through my ear as and he turned me around and gave me a conflicting irritated look. "You've been avoiding me for your work, Amai-chan." His tone turned slightly painful and I forced my gaze away from his melancholy eyes. Sometimes I just couldn't stand to know how much I was capable of hurting people. I just bowed my head in shame; only to have it gently rose by a finger.
"I'm taking you out and there's nothing you can do about it. Your mine all day." He gained a slightly amused look on his face before it disappeared and my lover's green pools bore into mine once again. "Hm, then I might let you work. If I feel like it."
I sighed and weakly tried to get out of his grasp, knowing full well that the ninja was stronger than me 10 fold and I never had any type of training anyway. I remember Gaara had once tried to teach me how to at least defend myself, but those efforts proved fruitless when I would trip over my own two feet in a spar.
He playfully allowed himself to get 'pushed aside', but not enough for his arms to actually unwrap themselves. In fact, the most I could probably do is give a dancers twirl inside the space he gave me. Grunting, I said 'fine' and promised that I'll let him take me wherever he wanted today... not that I had much of a choice anyway.
"So where are you taking me against my will?" Gaara just smirked down at his hostage and chuckled in my ear.
"We can start around town." I felt the comforting arms around my waist slacken, but a hand of sand covering my eyes replaced the tools of my confinement. A smile tries to tug the corners of my lips, but I force it back into a frown. I would hate to give Gaara the satisfaction of my happiness. But when the sand was removed and I saw myself in front of one of my favorite stores, I couldn't hold it back any longer.
The ice cream store was both symbolic and mesmeric. It was the place we had our first date and also the place my parents would take me as a child. The storeowner knew me from since I was a little kid and always smiled whole-heartedly when I would enter. The old man's smile always gave me a nostalgic feel – almost like all of the world's kindness could be captured into that one moment. I didn't realize how long I hadn't been here.
"Oh Gaara-kun." Words could barely form from my mouth and his eyes softened a little bit before it disappeared.
"You haven't even tasted the ice cream yet." He joked as we walked inside the shop and the shopkeeper greeted us with that friendly smile. I couldn't help but smile back as Gaara ordered a strawberry for himself and a vanilla with rainbow sprinkles for me. A sense of nostalgia filled the both of us as we sat on the same bench outside the shop as we did a year ago, with me leaning against the shoulder of Gaara.
We sat in a comfortable silence as I slowly ate the sides of the ice cream, avoiding the sprinkles with Gaara watching me gently.
"Nothing's really changed. You still eat your ice cream like a starving child, leaving the sprinkles for last." I playfully nudged his ribs and resumed the task at hand.
"You just don't understand my reasoning. For me, sprinkles is the most delicate, enjoyable part of the ice cream and what's the sense of just finishing it first?" My spoon dipped in the ice cream and I accidentally caught a few sprinkles, earning a slight frown on my face before I was forced to eat it. Gaara's curios green eyes followed my every move and ate his own treat without looking at it.
"I missed this." I truly did. I almost forgot what it felt like to spend time with Gaara. It felt like the world was at utter peace and I didn't have to worry about anything, which of course is utter bullshit. It's always nice to believe though. When we started out our relationship, we were both madly in love with each other and over time, the love remained, but we barely had time for each other. Gaara, being a successful ninja had natural duties and me with my dead end job.
His eyes met with mine and before I knew what was happening, he had taken my spoon and stolen some of my ice cream, but more importantly, half of my sprinkles. I screamed playfully and turned away from him, hiding my ice cream from his view.
"Ugh! Your not to be trusted!" I didn't have to turn around to know that he was smiling because he turned to side and pulled me gently in his lap, holding an empty cup that once had strawberry ice cream.
"Ah but you love me anyway." The statement was clear and sounded so sure. It always amazed me how Gaara seemed to have everything, as fact while my mind was an indecisive mess. I turned around and kissed him on the lips.
"Yes, but not enough for you to take my sprinkles." Gaara's handsome face smirked and was about to reach up to steal a kiss from me when the storekeeper appeared with a broom.
"Oy! This is not good business!" The old man chuckled with a smile and began sweeping the outside of the shop. "Making out in front of my store." Gaara began to give the old man a dark glare, but I quickly gave the man a smile and a bow.
"Have a nice day Danzo-sama." I grabbed both of Gaara's hand to prevent him of thinking of 'rock prison'. It's times like this when his mind sometimes switches from sadistic to kind and loving. It's a split personality that I can handle though.
"Be careful around him, Amai-chan." Gaara's hand lost the tenseness but his eyes still held it's fire as he stared back at Danzo. I gave him a confused look and when I turned around, Danzo was gone – the broomstick abandoned on the sidewalk.
"Gaara-kun, I think your just being paranoid."
"He may look old, but he's a shinobi. Don't trust him." Through the confusion I just nodded, silent agreement that I trust his words. It is hard to believe though that a old man like him can be capable of destruction, but then again one look at Gaara can be deceiving.
Just then the Gaara's grip tightened slightly and I looked up at the pale eyes of my lover. He was a troubled look on his face and before I could open my mouth to ask what's wrong, he spoke up.
"Amai, promise me you'll find a way to stay safe if anything happened to me or this village?" I was speechless and I nodded to him sincerely. It's that very moment that made me wonder if Gaara knew something I didn't. Well, he did.
Fast Forward
My sand sharpened kunai dug into the stone, etching the foundation of what will be the final touches of my art. Id like to think that if I ever needed ninja training, I'll already have a strong right arm from the months of pounding relentlessly into this dreaded stone. Even through the hard work, there's a thrill that runs through me. Maybe I was cursed for not having coordinated feet, but I can sure as hell handle a kunai.
"Amai-chan, be right back." Gaara called calmly from downstairs and I yelled an 'Okay' in reply as I returned my focus to the near completed sculpture. I waited until I heard the door close so I could return to my work, but something caught my eye – a red porcelain jar. Gaara always left a jar of chakra enhanced sand in my workroom despite my feeble attempts at moving it. He says that 'If something happens and I'm not there, it would protect you.' Well, for me it was total bullshit and a deep stab at my ego. So he thinks I'm not strong enough to defend myself eh? But I let it be; knowing that I would get some serious glares if I even thought about moving that jar.
All of a sudden, there was a scream of terror on the street followed by the sound of a bomb going off. My heart was beating erratically as I glanced out the window to see one of the most dreaded sights in the history of Konoha. We were being attacked. Bombs were being thrown left and right by seven mysterious figures and the air was filled with fire and smoke. Panic spread through me as I thought about what the hell was going on. I ran toward my door, but before I could get there I heard the sound of glass breaking. I ducked and closed my eyes, hoping the shards of glass wouldn't touch me.
After a while and after realizing that I wasn't feeling any pain, I opened my eyes to see a shield of sand levitating to my side; the shards of glass embed in it. My eyes widened as the glass slowly slipped from the sand to the floor.
"Wow, this really is the ultimate defense." Experimentally, I quickly moved to the side, watching as the huge shield of sand followed me. Another scream broke my curiosity and I hurried over to the window again – watching the destruction of another house play out before me.
"Think Amai! What would a ninja do?" Before I could think my feet decided to run out of the room, with the sand heavy on my trail. Just as I hit the bottom of the stairs, the sound of a bomb went off followed by the sound of my house collapsing. Screaming, I ducked for cover and prayed to whatever's out there to help me survive this. I must have stayed there for a whole minute praying before I opened my eyes again to see the sand had hardened to a shell around me, leaving a hole large enough to creep out of. The top level of the house had been bombed and it fell all around the shield, proving it meaningless to even try to get out of this mess. So I used what I had left. Scream no jutsu.
"HELP! GAARA!" 5...4...3...2...
"Ah well look who it is." A deranged voice called out and I found myself being yanked harshly by azul hair. I gasped in pain and my eyes widened as I came face to face with Danzo, the shopkeeper of the ice cream shop I went to only a week ago. He chuckled darkly and pulled my hands behind my back, earning the best glare I could muster. "Come now. You're going to help me lure your precious Gaara into my hands." Why the hell would he want Gaara?! A hand covered my mouth before I could scream and I tried with all my strength to wiggle out of his grasp. He laughed at my efforts and my hand instantly reached out towards Gaara's sand. Surprisingly, the shell it had formed began to un-harden itself as it raced towards me. The now tiny grains of sand ran harshly against the sides of Danzo's face and he groaned loudly in pain.
Danzo's hands quickly let go of mine to hold in face in agony and I took the chance to brake free from his gasp and run for my life. I had a good few seconds before I got out of the house and ran smack dab into a man with a cat mask and black cloak. Seeing that it was ANBU I sighed in relief, but got an electrode of fear when the man hand's grabbed my wrist, confining me.
"What?!" I yelled in the man's face and turned my head back to see Danzo angrily walked towards us from what was left of my house. He gave me a harsh glare, but that didn't faze me. He must forget that I live with Sabaku no Gaara.
"What do you want with Gaara?" The air outside was thick with smoke and I coughed before I could get my voice back. I sucked my teeth, as the grip on my wrist got even stronger.
"Nothing really. Just his title as Kazekage." My eyes squinted in confusion. Gaara's not Kazekage, his father is... Before I could reflect on it, I heard a voice from behind us.
"Yo Danzo." An adult male voice said from behind me as I felt the hands gripping at my wrist fall limp. I turned around to watch the ANBU fall to the ground either dead or unconscious as Kakashi looked at me before pulling me behind him. "Is this your way of becoming Kazekage? By attempting to destroy Konoha?"
The old man didn't respond; refusing to lay out his plan as he raised his hand and six more of his followers appeared. I gasped as I realized that these were the people I saw originally bombing. Kakashi lifted his bandana and revealed his sharingan as I felt myself being pulled backwards once again by another pair of arms.
"Kakashi-sensei, you're fighting without me?" Looking back I saw Naruto's foxy grin as he shielded me from what I was so oblivious to. Kakashi glanced backwards once with a stern look before he held his hand downwards and I watched in amazement as electricity began to appear from it. I covered my ears from the horrid sound as Kakashi raced towards the group with lightning speed – taking out at least two of the ANBU members that were too slow to move out of the way with one shock. Danzo's eyes widened as he yelled for his minions to attack.
Naruto pulled me behind him and jumped into the battle, but not before making 3 shadow clones with rasengan at hand. I watched in horror and amazement as he dodged a number of fire Justus with a simple push of his wind chakra while Kakashi mimicked every sign one of the ANBU's tried to play.
Another pair of arms wrapped around me and by now I was beginning to get fed up.
"And just who are you!?" Sand rushed out from behind me and captured Danzo's hands, before a crunching sound was heard followed by a scream. The sand had clamped down on Danzo's hands and blood poured from the broken bones it inflicted. I knew that jutsu far too well. I turned around to see Gaara with a fierce glare and with his hand in a fist. The red head looked at me once before glancing at the mass of sand that was levitating above my head and gave a slight smirk before joining the battle. I scoffed and folded my arms. By now there were 3 of the minions left and the only signs of fatigue from Kakashi and Naruto were their slightly heaving breathing.
Gaara stepped in front of me and formed two clones of himself that walked up to Kakashi and Naruto. One of the remaining minions stared at the sand clones and delivered a swift kick, but not before their foot went right through the sand and Gaara whispered 'Rock prison'. The man screamed before they're leg was torn off from their body. The other two had been so horrified by what happened to their friend that they notice a Naruto shadow clone behind them with a rasen shuriken before it was too late.
The sand clones returned to Gaara's gourd and now my boys were staring dead straight into the painful eyes of Danzo, who looked past distressed.
"My title is not for sale Danzo." Venom left Gaara's lips and I just stared straight at Danzo, who looked left and right as if expecting more of his minions to appear.
"The rest of your team has been apprehended. Tsunade's dealing with them." Kakashi stated as another the Naruto standing in front of me poofed and the real one appeared behind Danzo, locking his wrists together and pushing him harshly onto the floor. Within seconds a team of Konoha ninja appeared and nodded to Naruto before taking him to the city prison.
"Let's see what the Hokage has to say about this." Kakashi and Naruto both nodded to the trusted shinobi as they carried away a kicking and screaming Danzo from the field.
I turned back to look at my once standing house with a frown and a sigh. Gaara looked back at me once before firmly shaking the hands of both Kakashi and Naruto. They said farewells and I got a confused look before I was bear hugged by a smiling Naruto.
"Bye Amai-chan." I turned toward Gaara and he nodded, wordlessly answering my question. Were leaving...
I hugged Naruto back and wiped a tear from my eyes with a smile. Kakashi walked up to me and held out his hand, but I ignored that and bear hugged him, hearing a pleasant laugh erupt from him. They said their farewells to me and I turned towards Gaara. He looked down at me for a few seconds before hugging me tightly to him.
"What's with that face?!" I yelled at the red head with the calm face as we broke the hug and I saw the faint signs of a smirk.
"And you said my sand wouldn't help you." The red head mocked and I scoffed it off, but not before I was quickly placed in the arms of the sand man. We headed back outside to see that the mysterious figures were gone but not before inflicting major damage.
"Can you tell me what's going on" Gaara looked down at me and then looked forward.
"My father passed away and they've asked me to become the Kazekage." My eyes widened and I became speechless. "I'm planning on making Sand our new home and to send Suna shinobi to assist Konoha in their reconstruction." I gazed at him in wonder. He just fought a battle for his life and he already has his first call of action. Natural leader.
"Okay, just let me get one thing." I ran back inside the house and searched the debris. Smiling, I pulled out my art kunai. I knew I my art was damaged became of the bomb but at least I have what made it. Running back outside, I showed him the kunai and he smirked before I felt sand envelop our feet. Looking down, I watched as it made a board under us and soon we were flying.
We flew past the city gates and into the forest bordering Konoha, landing the sand hover board down to the ground, with me squealing in delight. Gaara turned towards the direction of Suna and I felt a sense of nervousness wash over me as I realized that I know had a new title. 'The Kage's Wife'. Standing firm, I gripped his hand in mine and refused to move. He looked at me skeptically.
"I'm scared. What if they don't accept us?" He gave me a long look before walking back and puling me into a kiss. I melted as I felt the passion that I always knew was there pour out to me and tears escaped my eyes as I returned it. For the first time in my life, Gaara allowed his pain to pour out into me and I his hand reached up to wipe the tears from my eyes.
"I'm not the same as I was a few years ago and I'll show them that." Images of his troubled childhood flashed through me and I looked up to see the Gaara that I knew. Of course he's different now, but he hasn't been home in years because of the pain he got there. Will that ever change? Worry was still on my face. "Trust me Amai."
I softened up a little bit and he smirked sweetly at me.
"And I'll make sure to have an ice cream shop open in your name." At that I smiled childishly and wove my fingers through his.
"With vanilla ice cream and rainbow sprinkles?" He smirked and shrugged.
"I might force you to try something new." I gasped in mock horror and folded my arms.
"You wouldn't dare!" He stole my hand back in his and brought me to him, with his nose against mine.
"As long as I have sand, I can do anything."