GAARA AND THE RAIN

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own any of this show or the characters. =]

Chapter one: It's so cold.

Sharp green eyes, watching the thick drops of liquid hit the hard ground. Splatters of rain made a loud electrifying sound with every tap on the ground. A short strand of fire red hair, intruded on the sequence of dancing shades of plain teal eyes. Standing, Subaku no Gaara stood and gazed upon the river the bridge had been covered in water, splashing around like fish out of the bowl. Gaara sighed his impatient sigh, and he turned to face the person who had been patiently awaiting his answer.

"What is the purpose of this?" his deep monotone voice said in a questioning, yet demanding tone, barely making the female body want to shiver.

However, Tsunade was smirking at his frustration, and soon she grinned;"Gaara-sama...I have asked you the least of all things I could have asked you…Yet you give me no answer. Tell me, shall you not escort my dear friend to your village? She has been waiting her whole life to visit, and now that the Suna Masquerade is being held you refuse to take her, How un-like you Gaara-Sama."

Tsunade knew she was pissing him off by the visible tension on his lobe as he grit his pearly white teeth to gaze once again, at the water. Again, Silence caressed the air around them. Gaara was only seventeen, yet he was still chosen as the Kazekage of his village. After his father died, there was no question that Gaara was the strongest Shinobi of the Sand-Village, and despite the hatred of most of his Villagers, Gaara accepted the role as Kazekage. However, it turned out to be to his disadvantage, the fact that he wanted to continue his job as a ninja. He didn't want to stop fighting, and doing missions. This meant of course, he was supposed to do the dangerous Missions, and that usually meant escorting officials from allied villages to the Suna or, to other villages; in this case, he was to escort the head of the Hyuuga clan to the Suna Masquerade.

Suddenly, the silence was broken. The one who had broken the silence was the one who had been the topic of discussion between the two village-leaders. Hyuuga Hinata stood at five foot eight, her arms at her side, and her lavender eyes staring straight ahead into the eyes of her Hokage. The girl didn't realize who was standing behind Tsunade until the Hokage turned to look at the Shinobi.

Hinata's eyes widened, but went to normal as she began to speak. "Tsunade-Sama…I…I mean Hokage-San...Kakashi-Sensei wishes to speak to you."

As she stopped speaking, she noticed Gaara. He was giving her a cold stare just as he normally did when his thoughts were interrupted. Something in Hinata's spine grew cold, and she blinked, looking to the ground. This Hinata had grown very sure of herself since the last time Gaara had seen her, yet she was still fearful of the Sand Man.

Inside his head, Shukaku growled menacingly in the timid-girl's direction.

Gaara ignored the voice while he watched the girl.

Tsunade screeched and she smiled at her friend and hugged her. "Hinata-Sama you should be careful who you sneak up on!"

Hinata's mouth tugged into a gentle smile. "Forgive me, Tsunade-Sama I did not notice that you were speaking to someone..." she bowed respectfully towards the Hokage and Kazekage, who was still staring at her.

That's when Tsunade coughed and gave him a 'Would you stop it or I'll hit you' glare.

Gaara rolled his beautiful teal eyes and turned to face the river once again. Hinata found him quite rude, yet she found that Tsunade had a temper and did not like being ignored.

"Kazekage-Sama! Tell me your answer, I need to know before the end of the night!" she growled.

Gaara sighed and held his head before muttering, "Well Hokage-sama, I will take the burden along with me to the Sunagakure but I swear, once she is there; I am no longer going to do any escorting...it is getting bothersome, you know." he said with his eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, Hinata's timid giggle was overheard over their conversation, both Tsunade and Gaara turned to look to the girl with arched eyebrows. Hinata covered her mouth in a gasp, and she looked to her side.

"I am sorry, Hokage-sama—or much rather Kazekage-san...Where would you like me to meet you before we leave?" she said suddenly lifting her gaze to Gaara's unexpected teal gaze.

Gaara didn't think that 'she' would be the one to escort. Ignoring the slight tint of guilt of calling her a burden, he thought for a time.

"Meet me just before the sun rises, we will need to get off early if you want to get there before the Masquerade. You will have enough time to find a date tonight I presume?" he asked her slowly, impatiently.

Hinata stopped moving, keeping that same smile on her face only it weakened just a bit.

Hinata looked up to him and said, "I am going alone Kazekage-sama...So I will be ready soon, Goodnight." she bowed her head to Tsunade and Gaara as she turned on her heels and ran home to pack.

Tsunade shook her head at the girl, and then turned her angry gaze toward Gaara's dismissed face."What is your problem?" she asked him with a tired tone.

Gaara, who had been looking in the direction of Hinata, looked at her and said "Nothing. Thanks to you, I have to go pack." he turned the same way Hinata went the rain still pouring dogs.

Gaara watched Tsunade dismiss him when she took off toward the monument to get her greetings done to the Third, today was his birthday although.

Hinata made her way into her bed room; she lived in the Hyuuga mansion. Hinata knew that her father never wanted her here, and when Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister ran away—her father had no choice but to name Hinata the head of the Hyuuga clan. She sighed and she stepped into the plain white room, walking immediately over to her dresser, to pull out three Kimonos' of the Hyuuga style. First, was light lavender that brought out her eyes, Second, was a light pink Kimono that had a imprint of Sakura blossoms on it (Sakura had designed that dress for Hinata's 16th Birthday party) and the Third, was a pale green with a gold trimming forming a serpent slithering all the way up around her neck and down to her arms, this one was a dress.

"I am going to have to thank Lee-San for this again..." Hinata said, her breath again being taken away as she packed it into her russet sack. Walking to her cupboard, she pulled out matching slippers for each of her kimonos, and of course the different masks. Putting them into the sack, she also put in some normal clothes, her blue training shoes (along with her red ones), her training pants (which she normally wore when she would train), she figured she would take her free time in the Suna to do so, her training jacket, which was just like Kiba's besides it wasn't as big. Hinata also had her Fishnet top with her black tank top underneath, that is what she was wearing. Turning to face her vanity, Hinata began putting her hair up into a pony-tail behind her head she smiled at herself as she lifted the bag realizing that Gaara would be waiting for her in just a few minutes.

Hinata walked through her house for a few moments, gathering up little things, and cleaning just a tad. It had been two years since she saw her younger sister, who was five years her junior. Hanabi was once ten times a greater ninja than Hinata, and her father and most of the Hyuuga clan believed that Hanabi would be the head. But Hanabi, no matter how strong her hatred for Hinata was, did not feel as if she was ready for that role. Hinata was named the head once her father passed away. Hanabi wasn't even at the funeral.

Hinata finally finished with all of her nit picking of her house, and left to find Gaara.

Gaara of course, had gotten there early.

Waiting for her at the Gate of Konoha, he gazed upon the morning sun. The sun itself seemed so annoying, by waking others up like it had no manners. Soon, he found himself talking about the sun like it was a human. Gaara ran quickly to Gaara's side.

Hinata halted when she saw him already waiting for her, "Gaara-san! I am sorry...Am I late?" she asked him in fear, checking the sun, and she went to her natural habit of pulling her arms up to her chest while she waited for his response.

"No." was his only reply.

Hinata smiled, feeling relieved, yet she was still fearful of his attitude, and wondered how he would be acting on their way to the Sunagakure.

"Hinata! Hey! Hinata!" that annoying, raspy voice called to her, The voice was too familiar to Hinata. The voice got closer and closer until she turned to look at the him.

Hinata turned around to see a bright blonde headed boy run up to her and stop as he panted like a dog to catch his breath.

"Hinata! Where are you going? Don't you know you have training today?" he asked his fists clenched with excitement.

"N…Naruto!" she shouted at the boy. Naruto stopped moving and looked at her.

"Hm?" he tilted his curious blue eyes. He had seriously forgotten she had taken a week off of training to go to the Suna Masquerade.

"Ever since we were young, you've been that way." she grinned and hugged the boy.

"I am going to visit Suna today! I will be taking part in a Masquerade...but I must be going now, Naruto. Promise me you will tell, Kiba and Shino I said goodbye, and tell Lee-san thank you for the dress again. I love you guys, I have to go now." she said as quickly as possible, noticing Gaara's glare intensifying.

Naruto, obviously saw it too, for he smiled and said obnoxiously, "Alright Hinata-sama...Have fun Bye!"

That's when he took off running toward the Monument where Kakashi-Sensei and Kurenei-sensei would train that very day. Hinata smiled one last time and then she turned and looked up at Gaara, who was glaring down at her. She bit her lip, feeling a bit irritated at the Kazekage for making her feel like a burden. Gaara smirked inside at her frustration and he nudged for her to follow him, then he headed toward the outskirts of the Gate. When they got there, they waited for a moment, and then a large white horse sped up to Gaara and he jumped on top of the horse, settling in.

"Give me your hand girl." he said, putting it out for Hinata to grab.

Hinata didn't like being called 'girl'. It made her think that he had no respect for her, which was exactly what Gaara had.

No respect for anyone.

Hinata sighed and put her hand in Gaara's, which surprisingly wasn't callused or rough, it was soft and warm. Gaara pulled her up and sat her in front of him. For a moment, she regretted letting go of his hand.

"Hold on. She is fast." he nodded.

Normally Hinata would have an ignorant blush on her face but not at this age, she was seventeen now. She was not going to blush at every single word someone said to her. Suddenly, the horse took off and Hinata lost her breath so she gasped and leaned back, her own back touching Gaara's. Hinata found this embarrassing but she leaned forward and whispered a soft "Sorry."

Gaara couldn't suppress his smirk, and let a little one tug at the corners of his mouth, unnoticed by Hinata.