Memories
The Suna sun shone red as its dying light hit upon the desk of the Kazekage. To him, it looked like blood.
Gaara shook his head to clear the thoughtand looked up at his bookcase, to what he liked to call his "shelf of memories". There were several knick-knacks on the shelf, but the most prominent among them was an hourglass filled with sand.
The hourglass was given to him by Hyuuga Hinata, the ambassador from Konoha, after she witnessed him terrorizing his receptionist for scheduling two important meetings at the same time.
It was an honest mistake, Hinata had said and handed him the hourglass. It's like this—no matter what you do to the sand it will still measure only an hour. You may be able to dominate the sand, but there are some things you just can't control.
Gaara's eyes slid to the next item, a handmade wooden fan emblazoned with the Hyuuga flame.
It's traditional, Hinata had said to him, for an ambassador to bring a gift for the Kage.
No one ever told him how she had known he collected ceremonial fans.
The next item was a seashell, collected when both the Hokage and Kazekage had been present at a summit in the Land of Waves. It had been a beautiful day and Hinata was staring out the window during the meeting.
I've been told that you can hear the sea if you hold a seashell up to your ear, was her reply when Gaara asked her what was the matter.
The look on her face when he brought her a shell the next day was all the payment he needed for taking the trouble of going out to find it.
Propped up against the shell was a strip of pictures from a photo booth. IT was their first date that Hinata had insisted they clamber into the dirty old booth to have their picture taken. One photo showed Hinata's blush as the Kazekage put his arm around her; another showed Gaara's blush as she kissed his cheek.
Hinata had given him the last item the night before their wedding. It was one of Shukaku's claws and Gaara had no idea how she had gotten it.
It's good to know where you've been, Hinata had said as he stared silently at the claw, but you should never forget where you're going.
He smiled as he remembered how Hinata had blushed when he kissed her.
The red sun sank below the horizon and Gaara realized with a start just how long he had been reminiscing. He spared one last glance for his shelf as he got up to leave; for now, he would go home to his wife and child.
Tonight, he would amuse Aiko with animals of sand to make her and her mother smile.
Tomorrow, who knew what the Kazekage would do, but he would put a picture of a baby girl on a shelf, next to an hourglass.
A possible entry for the DateMe July 2009 contest, themed "Sun and Sand" I don't know if there's enough sand in the fic, or, really, if it's any good, so critical comments are welcome and loved. :)
less than 3,
jessy cat