"Mom! My…my hair!" She screamed, grabbing locks of hair and letting them fall back down. "What DID YO DO?" The woman slowly turned her head, to glare at her mother.
"Oh sweety, it looks aaaaamazing!" The older woman clapped her hands together, admiring her work of art. The younger woman's face turned from rage to devastation. She turned back to the mirror, softly touching her hair in disbelief.
"Mom… this is awful, you plan this stupid ass date for me, and then make me look like a damn horse!" The younger woman let out a huge sigh as she slumped back into her chair. She leaned her head back on the chair to stare at the ceiling fan as it slowly turned. "Akina? You're not thinking of backing out are you?" Her mother moved back behind her, looking down at her with an amused face.
"What if I am?" Each word came out with a sharp frantic cry; Akina reached her hands out so they lay on either side of her mother's face. "Well…" her mother trailed off. "Well WHAT?" Akina grabbed hold of her mother's ears, but lightly enough not to cause too much pain.
Akina's mother simply pulled back from her daughter's grasp and smiled widely. "Your escort for the night has arrived already." Akina's eyes widen, her mouth hung open in utter disbelief. "No… no not now… not now, Mom please send him away!" Akina stood up and grabbed her Mother's shoulders, looking up into her clear blue eyes. "Are those tears?" Her mother smiled widely again before turning around stating loudly, "I expect you downstairs in ten minutes deary; you mustn't make the Kazekage wait!"
"I'm going to have a panic attack…" Akina walked to her bed and examined the outfit her Mom picked out for her. She grabbed it and placed it against her chest, looking down at herself. She took her shirt off, threw it to the floor. Holding the dress in her arms, she looked back the mirror, tearing up a bit as she remembered her horse like hair. "Damnit, I can't do this…" she mumbled to herself and fell face first back to her bed. She reached for a pillow and buried her face into it. Maybe if I stay up here long enough he will just leave. "Akina?" a man's voice came from her door.
Akina rolled onto her back, puzzled that her Mother sent the Kazekage to her bedroom door. "Hello?" She asked, slowly sitting up. "Holy shit!" Akina's whole body turned deep red, she was frozen, the Kazekage's eyes locked onto hers. "My… my door is open." She pulled her pillow up to cover her breasts. "My door is open…" She stood up shaking… "It's open and you're… you're looking at me and I'm-m…" Embarrassment turned to rage and she clutched the pillow with one first ripping it from her chest. "I'm fucking naked you pervert!" Akina threw the pillow towards to Kazekage but he had already turned around and made his way back down to the living room.
"MOOOOM!" Akina roared, the house felt as if was trembling. A few minutes passed and Akina made her way down the stairs, fully dressed now, and passed her date and Mother. She opened the door and without turning around asked sharply, "We're leaving right? Then come on!" She walked out, Akina's mother turned towards to Kazekage laughing and bowed, "Please take care!" Gaara nodded, no emotions displayed on his face and turned to follow Akina.
"Listen up K-a-z-e-k-a-g-e," each letter said sharply and fierce; "This date, this thing we're on, is a scam." Gaaza looked down at her, titled his head to the left as if to signal to continue. She squinted her eyes and ran her hands threw her hair several times, pulling it towards him. "She this? My hair? It's the color of your eyes, first scam fact." She turned her back to him and began to walk again. "It's just a ploy; these women have been searching for girls who share physical characteristics with you… all a scam." She waved her hands in the air as if directly a band. Gaara silently followed her, waiting for her to continue her rant. "I'm not a ninja, nope, I can't do anything. I suck at cooking, can't draw, I don't play music, I'm slow- like moving slow not mentally." Her hands on her hip, Akina began to focus on not making herself seem even more stupid. "I tried out, to go to the Hidden Leaf Village, but I can barely block a punch let alone throw one. I mean I saw you-"
"Do you shut up?" Gaara interrupted her. Akina turned quickly, staring him down as best she could, but no emotion showed from his face. She huffed and placed her right hand onto her chest throwing her head back. "Oh, excuse me, sir. I must be annoying you!" She turned back around and folded her arms as she stomped away from him. "I'll have you know I'm one in a million ass hole!" Akina had turned back around and realized Gaara was now glaring at her. She slunked back, Okay, alright, Akina- you're being a bitch. This guy, yea, he ain't a normal ninja. So calm down- he didn't arrange this, he probably has better women waiting on him away. She looked down at herself and sighed.
Akina was five foot two inches, her frame was small but every muscle in her body looked as if had been molded painstakingly by hand to perfection. Her gray eyes didn't appear to be much since her skin was as porcelain pale as Gaara's. The only thing that brought color to her complexion was her hair, long and thick, the color matched the Kazekage's eyes. On this particular day her mother had forced her daughter onto a date with the Kazekage… Akina had been sheltered for nearly her entire life, but after her brother moved away her Mother began to push Akina out the door. With no skills, Akina's mother believes that the best option for her daughter is to marry.
Akina looked back to Gaara, he could see the tears in her eyes build. "I'm so sorry, honestly I'm never this mean. I hate my hair…" She touched it again, pulling at the tightly curled locks. Gaara walked over to her, looking down he quietly explained, "Listen, Akina, we can get this over with quickly. My brother and sister insist I date. Your hair is fine, your outfit is fine, frankly I could care less what you look like." It sounded a lot more cold to Akina than Gaara had meant; his words had her tears falling like a waterfall.
Akina's hands rushed to her mouth to muffle any whimpering sounds. Gaara had already began to walk ahead, he looked behind him to see her quietly standing there, her back to him. Goddamnit, I must look like an idiot. Every guy every time. Akina began wiping away the tears as quickly as she could. I need to go swimming… I need to calm down. Damnit, I just need to run. She bent down and began un-strapping her heels, she stood back up and kicked the painful shoes as far as she could. She looked over her shoulder to Gaara and smiled. "You know what? My Mom will cut me off if I don't give this a try…" she briskly walked over to him, "…so… how about we just run?" She grabbed one of his hands.
Gaara's puzzled look made Akina chuckle. "I'm just saying, I know earlier, when I was angry- I said…" she looked down and then quickly glanced back up, "anyway, I said dumb things. So, run with me." She tugged on his hand and backed up a few steps. "What?" Gaara asked. "You know… move one foot in front of the other quickly, increasing your pace-" Gaara cut her off, "I know what running is. Why?" Akina let out a laugh and pulled harder on his hand, "Doesn't it make you feel alive?" She asked, she had begun walking and Gaara had allowed her to direct him to do the same. "I feel alive now." Gaara explained coldly.
Akina's pace quickened, "Okay, let me show you a place then." Gaara followed, it was interesting enough and this could cause the date to end earlier; so Gaara allowed it. "You said you were slow, I am not- I am very quick." Akina looked at him sharply, "That's not the point." Akina now was running as fast as she could, her dress was restricting her legs to go as wide as they needed to, so she could not gain as much speed as she normally could. Gaara easily kept pace with her. Akina reached down to the bottom of her dress, which came up to three inched above her knees and ripped both sides up her thighs. Gaara was taken by surprise on how quick Akina really was when she began to finally reach her peak. "Where are we going?" Gaara asked calmly.
"Well, what's the best feeling in the world?" Akina asked, nearly breathless. "You tell me," replied Gaara. Akina chuckled, "I can make you feel weightless!" Akina opened her arms widely letting out another breathless laugh.
Twenties minutes of straight running and Gaara wasn't even close to breaking a sweat. Akina, on the other hand, was close to dying. Finally she slowed and came to a stop in front of two large metal doors. She placed both hands on them, her body bent, and tried to catch her breath. "This… is…" she coughed and sucked in a deep breath, "is it." Gaara peered at her, he was curious, but she hadn't a clue what he could possibly be thinking. Finally, she straightened herself and pushed the doors open to an in ground pool. There was nobody around and the only light in the room came from the sunlight pouring in through the giant windows near the roof. "My sanctuary." Akina explained as she walked in. "Kamba-san allows me to come here when I want. It's his place and since he's out I get all this to myself."
"Ah," replied Gaara, "I've been here a few times with my siblings; but that has been some time ago." He followed her and watched her dip her foot into the water. "You're foot." Gaara pointed to it. "Shit…" Akina examined it and noticed she had gotten blood into the pool. "Seems my feet can't handle running with no sandals on…" She sat down pulling her feet towards herself, covering the pain that had finally set in. Gaara knelt down in front of her taking one of her feet into his hands and examined it. "You'll live."
Akina looked at him with a shocked faced. Did he just make a joke? No… wait, yes, no one would ever think cut feet would kill anyone… I need to laugh, but wow… A smile crept across her face and she let out a small laugh, which grew into bouts of loud deep bellied laughter. "You're stupid." Gaara said as he let her foot drop back down to ground. Akina stopped laughing and quickly pulled her foot back towards her. "That hurt! Be gentle with me!" She stood up slowly watching how she placed her feet. She turned her back to Gaara and pulled her dress off quickly. Throwing it to the ground she turned back to him, "Don't worry, a bra and panties are as good as any bathing suit." Gaara nodded and watched Akina as she cannon-balled into the water.
"Ow ow wowowoowwo!" Akina quickly resurfaced pulling her knees to her chest. "It will only sting for a minute; I know it, but still! Owwwieee!" She turned in a circle a few times before the pain finally numbed. She looked up to the Kazekage who looked extremely uninterested in what she was doing. "Well… are you going to come in?" She slowly swam to the edge of the pull were Gaara was standing and placed her hands on the concrete. "I can make you feel like feather." She smiled, letting her voice trail. "If I must…" Gaara began to take his boots and clothes off until he was in his undergarment.
Gaara sat at the edge near Akina and pushed himself in allowing himself to go under the surface. The water was cool, and felt amazing that afternoon. Akina swam under the water; she had begun to feel a little nervous as Gaara relaxed in the water. I wish I could tell what he was thinking… he always has the same expression… She swam over to him. "Look," she began to roll her head around trying to gain some courage from the air, "I have no talents. I can't cook for you, I can't fight, no singing or dancing, but…" She trailed off. "Okay, so everyone knows who you are and what you posses. I'm not going to act like it's not special but it is." She floated on her back. "It doesn't scare me though, you could never harm me." Gaara could tell she was smiling by the tone of her voice. "It's why I'm perfect for you." She had floated back to him and he was looking down at her. "You can love me." Akina stood up to face him. "I'm not crazy beautiful. I'm not crazy smart, nor am I super out going." She titled her head to the right.
"Then why would I love you?" Gaara asked, genuinely interested. Akina smiled, she could finally get some emotion from his voice. "Like I said Gaara, you can't hurt me. I mean, it's not like you would, but you can't and therefore I am yours to keep." She stepped back and extended her left hand to him. "Now, watch how strong I am." Gaara didn't give her hand to him, so Akina reached down and took it. He allowed her to lead him to the deep part of the water and she dived under. He watched her swim towards the bottom and she signaled him to follow; and he did. Akina grabbed his arm and began spinning him slowly around and then lifted him up above her head, then back down, and around again. Gaara could see the excitement in her face. She really is an idiot, Gaara thought to himself; but allowed Akina to have her fun and show him just how strong water makes her.