Hiya. ^_^

This isn't going to be a very long story. It's just a fun, temporary project I wanted to do for GaaSaku Month 2015. A short-chaptered three-shot. Think of it as light hearted drama. Kind of. Eh.

Anyway, it's been revealed that (in canon) the fourth Kazekage's name was Rasa – no, that's not a spoiler for anyone who hasn't finished the manga. It's just a reveal. It's weird. But Rasa is his name in here, just as a head's up.

Enjoy! ^_^

…

– Chapter 1 –
.:. Arrivederci .:.

...

There were no more massive kingdoms, not since the end of the war. Borders had blurred beyond recognition and peace time saw many regions breaking off from the ruling caste to create smaller countries now independent from the capital monarchy. These now autonomous nobles were retitling themselves as princes and princesses – and a few titles on par with duchesses and dukes to fill in the smaller territories – and what remained of the now former powerhouse that had been the king's domain was no bigger than the countries that had broken away from it. As a result, they needed to shore up their power in this region before someone got wind that they were still economically in shambles after the war.

That was why she was having trouble breathing.

Panic attack. She was pretty sure she was having one. Right now. Symptoms...what were some of the symptoms? Sweating: check. Trembling: check. Shortness of breath: check. Feeling of dread: check. Chest pain: check. Pins and needles: check.

What else? She felt around her wrist for her pulse; her heart was racing, her breath was coming out ragged and laboured. But the symptoms tend to come on suddenly, without warning and rarely for no obvious reason.

Okay, she was getting married in half an hour – that was an obvious reason. That could be it. Yeah...she was marrying a man she'd never met before (let alone seen) so that her father didn't have to relinquish his crown to his siblings or their children.

Sakura let out a shaky breath in an attempt to calm herself. She just had cold feet...yeah, that was it.

All her life it had been drilled into her head that it was her duty, her social obligation to marry some noble, or preferably a prince; to become some trophy wife and let him run her father's kingdom. She was the first born of the Land of Fire monarchy – the "only born" as her people called her – and it was traditional for their kingdom to be run by its king, not a queen. It was disappointing that her father had never managed to have another child after her, even when he did occasionally partake in the palace harem. He was supposed to have a son. All kings had sons.

Except her father, which had left her in a pickle. If he hadn't caught that virile sickness when he'd gone off to war years ago he wouldn't have become lame. He walked with a limp now and his prospective breeding years were over. His responsibilities now passed onto her. But her father knew of her wilfulness. He knew she wasn't a porcelain doll who was looking forward to this. That explained the guards outside the Shinto shrine.

But really, she had cousins – most of which she got along with – and plenty of them were boys. Why couldn't one of them take over the kingdom? Why did her father have to be so stubborn?

She sat and stared out the window of her room for what seemed forever; tugging on her white kimono absent-mindedly Sakura barely noticed when the door to her room eventually opened. The heavily pregnant wife of her best friend always knocked before entering a room so she supposed Hinata had done so several times before just coming in, without her noticing. She was a sweet woman but knew when to be forceful.

"You haven't finished dressing," the raven haired Hyuuga said, sounding reproachful.

"No." She'd gotten the kimono over her body and then just stopped, not wanting to go any further (she'd sent her handmaidens away an hour ago). It was such a heavy garment that she wondered if the dressmaker had designed it for a man rather than a woman – she imagined even Hinata, with her protruding belly, could hide under all this material.

Okay, maybe not.

'It really sucks to be a princess.'

Sakura glanced at the Hyuuga's belly – she'd kept her family name, as all clan members tend to, but not out of dishonour to Naruto's family. It was a Hyuuga tradition. They kept their names and that was that.

"Are you okay?"

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" Hinata asked genially. She rubbed her belly, smiling lightly. "I'm about ready to get this little guy out of me."

"It's a boy?"

"So the clan medics claim. So the spirits have told me."

The Hyuuga were an incredibly spiritual family. Sakura often found herself envious of how readily they believed.

"Must be nice," she said. Sakura stood up and walked over to the curtain; it stood on the east wall of her room and she could see the entire Shinto shrine from here (on the level below her), and the noisy guests that had gathered to witness her sham of a wedding. Perhaps she was just looking aimlessly, but she eventually (and finally) spotted her future husband standing next to the priest, and baulked. She tore her eyes away from the man unable to look at him any longer – he wasn't who she'd hoped for. "I can't do this," she said, feeling those panic attack symptoms come rushing back.

"You're just nervous," Hinata said softly; she had followed the pinkette to the curtain and was now patting her arm tentatively. "I was a nervous wreck in my waiting room." She'd thrown up several times. "I almost–"

Sakura pulled away from her and started pacing. "You married the boy you've loved since we were children. I'm marrying a complete stranger – a beast, if you believe the rumours. How am I supposed to go through with this? Father is insane if he..."

As she rambled on Hinata took a deep breath and clasped her hands over her impressive baby bump. They had both been raised to be proper ladies but Hinata had taken to it easier. She didn't think Sakura was some rampant tom boy like some of the nobles believed – she wore dresses, giggled over gossip and had her heart set on marrying for love. She had just been born into the wrong noble family for any of that to matter.

A loud knocking startled Sakura out of her ranting and both women turned toward the door as it opened unceremoniously. Hinata instinctively smiled as her husband came striding in. He immediately reached out to hold her as he grinned at his best friend.

"Ten minutes to show time!" Naruto announced. "Are you nervous, Sakura-chan?"

"Terrified," Sakura said shakily. "This is all happening so fast."

"I know." Naruto moved his other arm to embraced her as well. Sakura was his oldest friend, and he would do almost anything for her. It pained him to see her in so much pain – she couldn't hide it from him. They'd made promises to each other as children (pinky promises, but promises nonetheless) to marry someone they loved. For a short time, that had been each other, but crushes faded and he'd moved on. Sakura however, had not been given that option. She was a princess – the future queen – it wasn't as easy for her to wait for love. But...she had fallen in love. She'd fallen for that Uchiha idiot – the one who was always competing with Naruto over everything. Sasuke...he'd been married off to some prissy bitch from a distant country during the peace talks and that was the final straw for Sakura. She'd given into her father's demands that she finally marry – proprietorially speaking, it was overdue.

"I can't do this," Sakura said, now struggling not to cry.

Hinata elbowed her husband and he moved to embrace his friend completely. "You're Sakura-chan – you can do anything you put your mind to."

She sniffled and shook her head, her face buried in his chest.

"Perhaps there's something we can do," Hinata suggested. "Something that is last minute," she added suggestively to the blonde. She moved toward the door – Naruto had forgotten to close it behind himself – and went to close it. At the last second she stopped and her eyes went wide.

"A wardrobe malfunction," Naruto said, winking at Sakura. "I'll take care of it."

"But my father–"

"He's coming," Hinata said from the door. "He's headed this way!"

"Oh gods," Sakura said, now hyperventilating; she grabbed the sleeve of Naruto's formal kimono. "Please, please, please, Naruto; help me."

His heart broke for her. The stubborn little girl who never even begged for candy while growing up was now a grown woman and practically in tears. It was unnerving, and he wasn't quite sure what to do...until something he and Sakura used to do as children came to mind. Naruto's face spread into a wicked grin as the answer was clear as day to him; he knew just what to do. "I know just what you need."

...

"I kept your spot warm for you."

Gaara merely nodded to his older brother as Kankuro moved out of the way and the younger sibling took his rightful place as the groom-to-be; the redhead had been pacing in an adjoining room, nervous as hell for the past hour. He had only just now gathered up the courage to arrive; he'd been planning this for years, sacrificed a place in high society back home to be here today. He'd done this all to be with her...the girl of his dreams...

Correction: the woman of his dreams.

The noisy auditorium (the locals called this tiny thing a Shinto shrine) quietened somewhat when he finally made his appearance. It wouldn't be proper to be rowdy in front of their future king after all.

Kankuro started fidgeting as the shrine finally went appropriately quiet – it wouldn't be long now.

Gaara glanced at him. "Why are you nervous? Did you like standing next to the priest," he teased, unable to stop himself (his nerves were jittery, he needed this). "You looked ready to marry someone."

Kankuro scoffed. "Puh-lease; like I want to tie myself down..." He drifted off, remembering the lecture their father had given him about still being single. King Rasa was not happy. His oldest son was going to be the next ruler; the king of the Land of Wind. He had to marry. And soon.

Gaara let out a nervous chuckle before looking around; he narrowed his eyes as he realised they were missing an important piece on the podium – his future father-in-law. "Where is the king?"

"Kizashi left about a minute before you got here," Kankuro whispered to him. "He didn't look happy. Don't worry," he added, seeing the concern on his baby brother's face at this. "I'm sure it's nothing: I know how long you've worked to make this happen. It'll happen."

Gaara had pulled a lot of strings to get on this podium today; his father had wanted to pass Kankuro over as his heir to have Gaara lead their country instead but that was an unappealing scenario to him. It was Kankuro's right, given that their tradition was as archaic as the country he was about to become a part of, and it was the male offspring who were chosen to rule. As far as Gaara was concerned Temari was the best person to run the Land of Wind, but nobody else seemed to care that she was more than capable. It angered him almost as much as it infuriated her.

His eyes found her in the crowd and she smiled at him; Gaara nodded to her. She looked calmer than Kankuro even. The old man had not pressured her to marry the way he was pushing his sons. Rasa had always been patient with her.

Sighing deeply, Gaara let his eyes now flicker upwards, toward the curtained room overlooking this auditorium – where he knew his bride-to-be was currently being prepared for the ceremony. He had met the pink haired princess years ago (he doubt she remembered him though, since they were children at the time) and become enamoured immediately. Back when King Kizashi had still been trying to produce a male heir Gaara had talked to his father about betrothing him to the girl. He had only recently succeeded – it probably had something to do with the fact that there was still no male heir and having Gaara as king of a neighbouring land would benefit Rasa greatly.

A slow euphony began to play and Gaara realised belatedly that it was the wedding song for the Land of Fire. He stood to attention, his nerves falling away as the reality of the situation finally sunk in. She was coming. He was finally going to be with her...

Tradition in this country meant that the bride's face would be hidden to him until it came time for him to kiss her (or was that until they recited their vows?). So when the bride-to-be started walking toward him, her face obscured, her father holding her (barely – his fingers didn't even look like they were on her arm), he had a moment of concern. All the strange, nervous feelings were gone yes...but he didn't feel the connection he'd had all the times he'd seen her – he had practically stalked her a few months ago (that was something he would never admit out loud).

What the hell was going on?

But he schooled his features, thinking it was probably still his nerves.

The bride-to-be was released by her father, the latter stepping away as Gaara held out a hand to his intended. She didn't take it.

The priest started droning on but Gaara was distracted by the clearly nervous bride in front of him – the traditional, open toed high heeled sandals made her taller than he remembered. An hour could've passed for all the attention he gave; the priest indicated for the veil to be lifted and the redhead nodded mechanically, moving forward to do so – he was right the second time; the reveal was before reciting the vows.

'Holy shit.'

The crowd gasped.

Gaara growled. That explained his confusion. He glared at his "bride-to-be" furiously.

Red faced and twiddling his thumbs, Naruto grinned sheepishly back at Gaara. "Sorry, but I'm already married."

…

XXX

...

Sorry. Couldn't help myself. I laughed out loud when I thought of that last line so there was no way it wasn't going in there. This almost became a humour fic because of it – I was going to expand on it but it never really flowed... Lotsa love! ^_^

R&R

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