Traditions
It was a boring morning in Sunagakure, the same boring image of the same corridors, the same doors, the same desk and the village look as usual. The only things that change every day were the immense tower of papers that the Kazekage had to take care of and the long and endless meetings that he had to attend.
It was amazing that many people ask for that position, and only because they think that is the most powerful one that you could get, but Gaara never ask for it, and now, there he was, sit on the desk of the person that is the most powerful in his village, doing what many people think that's interesting, "but they don't know what this is really about" thought Gaara "Yeah, maybe it came along with respect and everything from the ones that once hate me, but it also came along with the most boring duties" and which teenager wouldn't thought that, he's just 15, he's in the age in which, the last thing you're going care of, is paper work.
But there he was, lost in his thoughts and checking all the stupid things that people ask him like; "Dear Kazekage" "Since when do they call me like that?" "Could you authorize this new Project that consist in a tree plantation, please""For Kami's sake, who asks if they could put trees in the middle of the desert?!" And the rest of petitions where as ridiculous as the first. Finally, he get to the last paper of the morning. He notice that it wasn't a petition, it was a memorandum that states that July 25 is coming and preparations for the festival needed to start. Gaara hesitated, because that day, was July 25, he totally forgot that festival, one that has been a tradition since The Third, one that he was supposed to take care of, but he never did. You could think who forgets an important tradition that was stated by the most powerful Kazekage, well simple, someone who had never been present. Even though, he blame himself for not noticing the memorandum, though it wasn't his fault at all, it was the last paper, yes maybe it was placed a moth ago, but the careless people who put new papers over his desk didn't take it at the beginning of a new pile, like they should have done, that's why he paid to them. "What I'm worrying about; Temari must have done all that stuff, for sure." He feel relieve with that. "I'll not go, I don't like that kind of stuff either, and, who'll notice my absence this time?" But Gaara was forgetting a small detail.
"Good Morning, Kazekage" said Temari who enter in his brother's office.
"Damn, I'm the Kazekage, people will notice if I'm not there" that was the small detail. "Good morning Temari"
"Look, Kankuro and I are going to get ready for the festival…"
Temari was interrupt by a ninja who was carrying a new and boring, long pile of papers.
"Good morning, Kazekage-Sama" and after that, he just leave the room.
"It seems like you have too much work to go to the festival with Kankuro and me, so have a nice day Gaara" Temari leaved the room too, with a sad face. Since Gaara changed, his siblings look more for him to spend time together, but when he was named Kazekage, that turn impossible. "You're going soft, Gaara" he thought.
"Temari!"
His sister came as far as she could; she had never heard his brother screaming like that.
"Gaara, are you all right?" she ask with her maternal, worried tone
"You're not going without me right?"
Temari's face suddenly changed, Gaara notice a huge smile in his sister's face, but before anything he felt like choking, because Temari was hugging him so strong that he could hardly breathe.
He curse himself while they were walking, he turned soft, he had changed a lot since his fight with Naruto, he was trying to be like any other normal guy, but being soft wasn't on his plans, he still can't believe that he left his work to go to a stupid festival and spent time with his siblings.
Yes, Gaara knew his sister, she had take care of everything and she did a great job. They were approaching to the central park, where the festival was about to start. They were walking through a street with a lot of stores that had sweets and toys, "Attractions for kids" thought Gaara, but he couldn't help, but enter to one in which he saw a box of just baked, chocolate chip cookies, and even if it was a long line, he'll get them.
He notice that every one in the line was wearing formal suits, I mean, that they all look like new kimonos, then look at his brothers and they were dressed like the rest of the people, and then turn to see his outfit, it wasn't exactly the correct one for an event like this; he was wearing his typical Kazekage clothes, but he didn't mind, I mean, this is Gaara we're talking about, the person who'll care less if his clothes were adequate for a festival.
The other persons in the line notice his presence and let him buy his cookies first, but he never asked for it.
"It's amazing that you still have that obsession" said Kankuro
"It's not an obsession" reply Gaara
"Aww, well, in that case, give me one" said Kankuro taking the cookie that Gaara was about to bite.
"Hey, GIVE ME BACK MY COOKIE! Yelled Gaara who was paying more attention in fighting with his brother, than in the steps he take, and before he could notice, he hit a person, who wasn't paying attention either.
The next thing he saw was that he was over a girl with brown hair, onyx eyes, and her band tied in her neck. Gaara haven't saw her since she became a chunnin and realize that he missed the time that they spent together, even if it was training.
"Ma, Ma, Matsuri" stutter was definitely something that he had never done before.
"Gaa, Gaara-Sama" her cheeks start turning into a light crimson red when she realize that he was over her.
Gaara rapidly stand up and help her, he start feeling something really strange, something that he had just felt when he was with her. All of his cookies had fell, but he didn't care of them right now, all that he cared was about the girl that he hit and was now standing right in front of him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, nothing to worry about" she said with a smile, but her cheeks haven't changed her color.
"I'm sorry, I…"
"It's okay, it was also my fault, well, I gotta go, it was nice to see you again Gaara-Sama" said Matsuri, who has no reason to leave, than to hide the red color of her face and the sound of her heart beating.
"It was nice to see you too, Matsuri"
He just stare right there watching her leaving, and noticing that his heart was beating too fast.
"You know Gaara," start Kankuro chewing the cookie who was the cause of the last event "I guess that if this turned into a tradition," He was teasing Gaara "You'll love to come here"
"…"
"I mean it"
"Stop bugging me Kankuro" said Gaara taking the cookie from his brother's hands.
"But maybe you're right"
AN: I hope you like it, it's the firts one so... please, review