Summary: For so long she had admired him from a distance. For so long she had loved him in secret. For so long he had never returned the feelings. All that until now, when he became the Kazekage. One shot Warning: Gaara may be OOC
"C'mon Natsuki, let's go. What're you staring at anyway?" Temari urged her younger friend. She looked in the direction Natsuki was looking in. "He doesn't talk to anyone. Just let that dream go." Natsuki sighed, knowing her friend was probably right.
'That's when I was only ten. She was thirteen. I can't believe it's been so long,' an eighteen-year old Natsuki thought to herself.
Gaara had become the Kazekage a few years back. That's when things got oddly normal. Natsuki would do her ANBU duties just like the rest, as Gaara would treat her like the rest. He had never known about her feelings, he had never known that someone really did love him.
"Natsuki, we gotta get to the Kazekage's office immediately. There's an important mission that needs to be done right away," her roommate said, her head around the door. The two quickly got dressed in their rooms before rushing to the Kazekage's office.
"Lord Kazekage," five of the ANBU quickly greeted. Gaara gave them the mission and they were off.
"Infiltrate the Sound Village and retrieve the forbidden scroll that was stolen from the village," was his only directions before he sent them off.
Gaara sat his desk, his fingers interlaced, his eyes staring into nothing.
"Hikaru!" he shouted out to his assistant. A brown-haired girl rushed into the room.
"Yes Lord Kazekage?"
"Go and find Hayashi Natsuki. Bring her here." Hikaru disappeared in a cloud of smoke and left Gaara in his thoughts.
"Are you gonna keep shunning Natsuki like that Gaara?" Temari was one of the only ones that still called him "Gaara."
"Yes. I have my reasons too."
"What reasons? She's one of the only ones who had ever really loved you! Why are you being so cold to her? What did she do wrong?" Gaara just walked out. "You're the Kazekage now. Everyone is supposed to be equal in your eyes." He gave one last glance at his sister before walking out.
"Lord Kazekage," a familiar voice sounded, pulling him out of his thoughts. "You wanted to see me?" He turned to see Natsuki in her regular clothes. He turned back to the window that looked over Sunagakure.
"Yes, come here." Natsuki obeyed and stood next to him, looking out the window too. Silence befell the two before Gaara spoke again. "Have you ever known what it's like to be loved?" Natsuki was taken aback by the question.
"No, I don't think so. My parents died when I was six. I lived in the orphanage until I could live on my own."
"I know how it feels, not to be loved for so many years." She looked at him, his face still focused at whatever was outside.
"Lord Kazekage?" He turned his head when she turned her's back. "Did you ever love someone? Someone who wasn't family?"
"Not until now. The name my mother gave me was a message. I was a demon, who loves only himself. Now, this village is what I am to love."
"There never was a person, not one that you have ever loved?" Natsuki looked at him, their eyes connecting.
"There is." Their faces were so close, Natsuki blushed.
"Lord Kazekage," Hikaru's voice rang from the door. The two distanced their faces. "Lord Mizukage is here to see you." Natsuki bowed to Gaara, walked towards the door and left after bowing to the Mizukage.
He walked down the empty road, his Kazekage uniform in his closet. He had wanted that kiss. He wanted to know if what Temari said was true.
She stepped out of the shower and was finished drying off when a knock was heard at her door. She threw on a robe as the knocking grew louder and more persistent.
"Coming!" she shouted, her hair dripping on the tiled floor as she made her way to the door. Making sure the tie was secured around her waist, she opened the door.
"Lord Kazekage." She bowed. "Come in, please sit, I'll be right back." He sat down as she rushed to her room and threw on clothes.
"Good evening Lord Kazekage." Natsuki bowed again as she entered her living room.
"Good evening to you too Natsuki. But tonight, call me by my name, Gaara."
"Alright. Not to be rude, but why are you here Gaara?" She took a seat on the chair next to the couch he was sitting on.
"I would like to finish the conversation we had earlier today." He looked at her dark gray eyes. "Was there ever anyone you had loved?" he threw her question from earlier back at her. Natsuki bit her lip.
"Yes, there is one. He's the only one I have ever loved for my entire life."
"Can you tell me about him?" Natsuki stared at the coffee table in front of her, her breathing slow. Gaara had the same soft expression that he had on earlier.
"He was a lonely child. No friend, no one wanted to be near him. But he looked so strong, being able to go through that." She took a deep breath. "His mother had died during childbirth and was raised by his uncle. He traveled to Konoha for the Chunnin exam."
"What was his name?"
"His name?" She looked at him.
"You don't have to tell me." He paused. "Tell me Natsuki, are you afraid of him?"
"No, I never was." She looked away from him and towards the wall in front of her. "He was just very different from the rest of us. But I didn't mind that small fact. I used to spend a lot of time with his older sister actually."
"Then tell me this Natsuki, are you afraid of love?" She took another deep breath.
"I think so," her voice a whisper.
"Why Natsuki, why are you afraid of love?" There was a short silence.
"I've never been loved before. I've never been heartbroken because of love before. I've gone so long without experiencing it; I feel it might be too late." She got up. "Excuse me for a moment." She walked into the kitchen and filled a cup with water. Gaara followed silently, scaring her slightly when he slid his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear.
"It's never too late to love Natsuki, I learned that."
"Gaara," she whispered, turning her body around to face him, her hands on his shoulders.
"I love you Natsuki," he let out so calmly, so naturally. Her lips parted to say something, but Gaara stopped her with his lips. His put hands on her hips, pulling them closer to each other, and felt the warmth radiating off of each other's body.
"Gaara..." They looked into each other's eyes. "I love you too."
Natsuki woke up the next morning to find her resting her head on Gaara's bare chest. She looked at the clock: 6:30. She nudged Gaara who was blocking her way from getting out of the bed.
"Hey Gaara, its morning." He opened his eyes.
"So?"
"I have to report to you in an hour and a half." She tried to crawl over him but he stopped her by wrapping his arms around her.
"I'm not even going to be there at eight." He flipped them over. "Anyway, we can stay here all day. Hikaru can tell them that there are no missions today, and if emergencies come up, then I'll let you go."
"Promise?"
"Promise." She lifted her head to kiss him then lowered it back on the pillow. He lay on his back on the side of her and stared at the ceiling. After a while he rolled over and propped himself up on an elbow. He took Natsuki's hand in his free one.
"I know I don't have a ring, and this is sudden. But Hayashi Natsuki, will you marry me?" Natsuki's face broke out in a smile.
"Yes, yes I will." They embraced before they decided to get out of bed.
OMG, please tell me how I did. This is the first Naruto fic. No flames, just constructive criticism please.