Chapter 2
"I can't believe I let you rope me into these things." Shijima said folding more of her clothing up.
"I'm sorry. I need someone I trust to go out there. This is a very important matter." Gaara said.
"I am needed here with you more than I am on that rock." She complained.
"I'll be okay. I am not helpless. I promise that I will do as good of a job as you at taking care of my office and myself."
"I doubt that. I take really good care of you and don't you forget that!"
Gaara frowned. He could sense Shijina's real worry.
"Are you worried about Matsuri?"
She gasped and her face fell red. "N-no. Of course not."
"Shijina…"
"I'm not worried about Matsuri."
"That's not the vibe I'm getting from you."
"I can hate the bitch without being worried about her. There's a difference. She needs to lay off of you."
"Matsuri is a child. She's only rude to you because she is jealous of our relationship."
"And what is our relationship, Gaara?" Shijima asked, looking Gaara in the eye.
"What do you mean?"
"We aren't stupid, Gaara. We both know what is expected of us. The council doesn't just let me be your right hand girl because they're being nice. We both know that they want you to marry me. Your brother wants you to marry me. I want you to marry me. Yet, we aren't even dating. We both just sit here and pretend that all is fine and dandy and you send me across the country to some uncharted island. I'm sorry. I don't want that bitch coming near you. Is that so wrong?"
Gaara said nothing, seeing his gourd of sand sitting across the room under his desk. "Nothing about this has anything to do with Matsuri. I just want you out there because I don't trust anyone else to go out there and do the job the way it needs to be done. You have my full trust. No one else on this planet has that. You must understand."
Shijima said nothing in response.
Gaara came over and put both of his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging her. He glanced at her crescent-moon figure again, remarking to himself at how wonderful she looked. He lowered his hands and clutched her waist. Shijima offered no resistance to his touch and placed her hands on top of his, moving them to her stomach.
"This is what I want for the rest of my life, Gaara." She said to him.
"I do too."
"Then what is taking so long for you to commit to me. If you want me, take me. I'm yours." Shijima said.
"I don't want the council to use our relationship for anything bad."
"Forget about the council." Shijima cried breaking his grasp. "All you worry about is the council and how they're going to react to every little thing you do. I know the council has political reasons behind our marriage. I know that. I know that they don't want your nephews from Konoha becoming Kazekage. I know that they don't care about our relationship beyond that. They're not going to use me to spy on you or anything like that. Even if they did, I'd tell them to go fuck themselves and tell you immediately."
"But-"
"No buts. If you really trust me as much as you claim to, you should trust me enough not to sell you out to them. Deep down, you know that's true. You know it!"
Gaara sighed. Shijima was right. He knew that she would not betray his trust. They had already been through so much together. What motivation would she even have to sell him out at this stage of her life and their relationship? He did not answer but ran his fingers through her long, black hair.
"And you should trust me to not be with Matsuri. Trust is the most important thing in any relationship, Shijina."
"I do trust you. I never said I didn't. I don't trust her. The thought of her trying something while I'm gone makes me sick. I want her far, far away from you."
Gaara ran his hands through his hair before going over to his desk and pulling out a pen from it.
"What are you doing?" Shijima asked.
"The council said I get three picks for the expedition. I'm picking you and Kankuro for sure. But, I still have one more pick. I was going to pick Baki. But if you're really worried about Matsuri, I will send her instead. Baki would understand that it was done with the best intentions for our relationship. Baki also wants us to get married, you know."
"Then marry me, you dick. I'm not even worried about dating. Fuck Gaara, we've been dating. You know I'm right. You take me out to dinner. We slow dance. We sleep in the same bed. The only thing we haven't done is fuck, which I'm ready to do whenever you are at this point. The only thing I'm done with is these head games. I want to know right now that if I go on this expedition for you, that you're going to marry me as soon as its over."
Gaara looked at her and waved her over with his hand. She approached only to be hit with a kiss on her lips from the Kazekage. It took her by surprise at first, but she fell into a trance before giggling like a child. Gaara pulled her closed before letting her fall backward, not letting her hit the ground.
"If I agree to marry you, will you stop your bitching?" He asked.
"I might." She said.
"Then I'll tell the council the second you get back. Now come on, let's finish packing."
