Forty Reasons

Summary: He knows why. GaaIno

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Forty Reasons: One Sentence GaaIno

1. Because he's the Godaime Kazekage, the most powerful person in the Hidden Village of Sand and beyond, but the mere sound of her laughter makes his world stop and the mere sight of her tears makes him helpless.

2. Because she's the only person who has called him a 'psychotic panda' and lived with it; if it was anyone else who said that he would have blown their heads off on the spot, but he can't even imagine hurting this girl.

3. Because he could think of a million other places to be, but he'd rather stay beside her and watch her sleep, his stoic heart skipping beats whenever she says his name in her slumber.

4. Because he used to think that Hyuuga Neji was a generally agreeable person – until the day he found out that the Byakugan user liked a certain blonde too; and then he started hating him.

5. Because when he's not with her, there's a bleak feeling of emptiness inside that almost drives him insane.

6. Because he thinks that the reason why her hands fit in his so perfectly is because he's meant to hold her forever and never let go.

7. Because he hates it when his room isn't clean and orderly, and the only time he doesn't mind that there are clothes scattered on the floor is when he has her on his bed, smiling bashfully at him before she lets him take her breath away.

8. Because she can't cook instant noodles to save her life, but she still tried to bake a full chocolate cake on his birthday; the result was a sloppy, dilapidated glob of bread and cocoa butter that he still ate despite severe opposition from his security advisers, who were all snickering as a doctor was called for the next day.

9. Because he knows that he should treat her as the shinobi that she is, ready to be sacrificed if the situation demanded it, but he can't not care about her – which meant being willing to hand himself over to the enemies if that's the only way they would let her go.

10. Because he hates fussy, irritating, loudmouthed blondes (the matronly tyrant in pigtails he calls his sister and the gambling-addicted old woman called the Hokage being prime examples), but the blonde in purple is an exception – fussy and irritating and noisy as she is, he still thinks she's wonderful.

11. Because he knows that he has never been a sentimental person, but for some reason he can't throw away the Band-Aid she put over his finger when he got pricked by rose thorns the first time he visited her flower shop.

12. Because he had always thought that Christmas traditions were lame, but that one Christmas when Team 10 had to spend Christmas at Suna, he found himself instructing Baki to hang mistletoes all over the Kazekage Tower.

13. Because he liked to think that he was a patient and rational man, but the first time they officially went out on a date, he found out that he couldn't take it when other men looked at her for five seconds without blinking; to her anger, at the end of the day he had clobbered up almost thirty other guys who dared to look at her that way, and the next day he presented her a wardrobe filled with clothes that had the words 'Property of Sabaku no Gaara' on them.

14. Because he can't figure out how she manages to calm him when he's angry just by embracing him; whenever he feels her warmth around him, everything just fades away and all he knows is that she is his.

15. Because he's never felt fear in his whole life – that is, save for the day Yamanaka Inoichi caught him making out with her at the Hokage Tower's storage room; it was the perfect definition of the phrase 'all hell broke loose'.

16. Because he likes how she strokes his hair and sings lullabies for him before they sleep; and even though he isn't fond of music in general, he finds himself mumbling along "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…" as she sings him the song.

17. Because he thinks of himself as a realistic person who knows what is possible and what is not, but when she asked for a space in their home that she can turn into a flower garden, he gave her a whole yard and, taking her hands into his and kissing them softly, promised that he would fill that acreage with her favorite flowers.

18. Because he's never been a morning person, being an insomniac for most of his life, but every time he wakes up and feels her beside him in bed, he can't help but smile.

19. Because he knows it's selfish to make her choose between him and Konoha; but frankly, to hell with selfishness, because he does not merely want her - he needs her to live and he needs her to love.

20. Because he couldn't help but turn as red as his hair when he eavesdropped on her one afternoon and heard her telling Sakura that "Shikamaru is fine and Neji is good… but Gaara is the stud."

21. Because he seldom dreams, and whenever he does, it's always about her.

22. Because he hasn't been himself since she didn't return from her mission – all he could do was lie on her bed in Konoha and stare at the hair tie he gave her.

23. Because he doesn't believe in God, but he doesn't know who else to thank for giving her to him.

24. Because he thinks that Shikamaru is troublesome and Choji is childish, but he supposes that he can give the time of the day to hang out with them, if it's the only way he can spend some time with Team 10's self-proclaimed leader.

25. Because he has neither the energy nor the patience to endure even just an hour of shopping, but whenever he's about to open his mouth and complain, she shoots him a sharp glare that sends him closing his mouth and following her obediently around the stores again.

26. Because he had always thought that stargazing was corny, but the night they laid under the maple trees to watch the little bright lights in the night sky and she fell asleep with her head on his shoulders, he realized that he could get used to doing it after all.

27. Because he can't feel any better than how he feels whenever he comes home from those inevitable battles and finds her anxiously waiting for him at the gates, ready to jump into his arms and shower him with kisses, never mind that the whole village is there to see how their stoic Kazekage kisses his wife back.

28. Because he thinks that watching horror movies is a foolish way to spend one's time, but since she cuddles up to him when she's scared, he buys them by the hundreds and insists watching them every weekend; besides, if he gets lucky and the movie is really scary, they'll end up snuggling with each other all night long.

29. Because she knows how he doesn't like children, and even though she adores them herself, she has never supported his political advisers who always insisted that he should sire an heir already; she just smiles and tells him that he's enough for her.

30. Because for him, there's no GaaSaku, no GaaHina, no GaaTen, no Gaawhosoever – just GaaIno.

31. Because he thinks that Valentine's Day is cheesy, but every year when that day comes, he can't help it but give her the largest box of her favorite truffles and treat her to a candlelit dinner; it's cheesy, alright, but nothing about how she smiles at him afterwards is.

32. Because he sees a special light in her cheerful blue eyes that seems to take away all the sadness behind his own jade orbs whenever their eyes meet.

33. Because he feels like the king of the world whenever he gets to introduce her as Sabaku no Ino, daughter of Yamanaka Inoichi, legate of Konoha, queen of Sunagakure, and most importantly, his wife.

34. Because he never chose to notice her in the first place – it just happened; the same way he never chose to fall in love with her – it just happened too.

35. Because he found out that when it came to her, he wasn't capable of saying no for an answer, especially when the question was "Do you love me?"

36. Because she was a person who had a lot of pride, but whenever they had arguments that lasted more than half a day, she always made the first step to making up; she would have a bowl of peas during dinner, hand it to him and say "Peace?"

37. Because he has always liked his morning coffee strong and bitter, just like how life was, but he supposes that he can settle for the light and sweet taste she prefers as long as she's beside him to share it with every morning for the rest of their lives.

38. Because he didn't believe in forever – until he met her.

39. Because he loves it when she says "I love you" to him every night before they sleep; but somehow, he loves it better when he answers "I love you too" and kisses her before they close their eyes to dream about each other.

40. Because he simply loves her and she simply loves him, and they don't need to know the reasons why.

So there, my first shot at a one sentence. I was supposed to make an DeiIno but I figured out that it would be kind of sad since Deidara's dead so I made a GaaIno instead. I'm not sure about how I did, though.