Title: Quintessence

Pairing: Gaara/Sakura
Rating: K+, Offensive language content
Chapter: Three
Summary: "Political correctness. Che."

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me! If it did, this would have happened canon, sheesh.

Chapter Three: Implication

If it would have been socially acceptable, Gaara would have wasted the man where he stood. Weeks ago. It wasn't just the annoyance of his banter, but the man's eager condescension when dealing with both his delegates and himself. The thinly veiled insults flowed like water from the tap today, and his patience was wearing thin for so early in the day.

"...may not mean anything to Suna, but such wording is far too long reaching for Konoha. The implication is quite clear. Why is there no mention of Suna's reciprocal obligation?" Tobita's eyes were bright, mouth set in a mockingly polite smile. Though dressed in the usual Konoha greens and blues, the man seemed to ooze suave money and superiority. Combined with his mouth, it was a recipe for homicide. Gaara begged the powers that be to let the man misstep far enough to allow for a beating. Even smacking him around would be satisfying at the moment.

"Because, Tobita-san," Hatsumi nearly growled, "That is the proper interpretation of the statement's implication. You'd do well not to insult the honor of Sunakagure." Shut up before I shut you up, thought Gaara. Because Tobita certainly wouldn't. And then they would get to spend the next hour arguing over the word 'readily'.

"Gentlemen, please. As I may remind you once again, this has never come into account in past dealings between our two countries. I see no reason that it should, though I can offer every assurance that Suna has our protection as much as we have their's." Tsunade turned to the Kazekage pleadingly for approval.

"You must forgive us, Tsunade-sama, as this composition is new to us despite the prior standing treaty. You have every assurance of our co-operation."

"Then we can consider this issue of wording resolved?" Shizune had appeared, soundlessly, bent next to the Hokage whispering into her ear.

The Kazekage ruthlessly cut Hatsumi off as he began to sputter in defiance. "Yes, Suna is satisfied with the wording as is." His subordinate seemed to visibly balk, mouth opening to speak as he flushed angrily. Gaara shifted in his seat slightly, and Hatsumi's mouth closed with an audible snap. Sakura suppressed a grin. Gaara noticed with a minute twist of his own lip, shooting her a look.

"Very good. I suggest that we break for lunch. I have business to attend in Konoha." Sukimoto stilled a visibly upset Tobita with a warning glance. Konoha business came first. "And perhaps filled stomachs will be more... unanimous in thought." She ended the sentence with audible irony, catching the ambivalent locking of Hatsumi and Sukimoto's eyes across the conference table. Sake sounded like a fabulous idea at present. Shizune's head drooped in recognition of that particular look on her Kage's face.

Trading swift hand signals with Shizune, Sakura spoke as she pressed a blank document into the Hokage's waiting hands, "Might I suggest a two hour break, Kazekage-sama?" The past two days they'd worked straight through the lunch hour, and Sakura was glad for the change of pace. She was starving.

"That is acceptable."

"It's agreed then, we'll meet in two hours." Tsunade turned to Sukimoto and the handful of Konoha delegates, "Class dismissed." Shizune was grabbed, eyes comically wide in prolonged suffering as the Hokage darted out the door, heels clacking as she took off at a rapid clip down the hallway.

Gaara nodded to his delegation in casual dismissal, shooting a hard look at Hatsumi in particular that had him swiftly out the door maintaining a strained veneer of calm. The room slowly began to empty as delegates trailed out the door with their respective files in hand. Standing to lean against the wall near Sakura, he absently watched as she gathered the Hokage's documents, stacking file upon file until two columns were finally transferred into one teetering mass. Was she really going to carry all that? The stack was nearly the size of Karasu.

"Hungry, Gaara-sama?" she teased, pulling her hair out of her face as she motioned to Kotetsu. Ah. Slave labor. Always a plus. The poor man eyed the stack, eyed Sakura balefully, then heaved the documents into his arms and waddled out into the hallway.

"Hnn." Actually, he was, now that she mentioned it. He had a tendency to forget to feed himself, something his own medics were constantly chastising him for. If she had somehow managed to observe his sporadic tendencies at mealtimes, at least she wasn't obnoxious about it. "So that wasn't a summons growling under the table?" He stared, pointedly, as she did a remarkable impersonation of a tomato.

"That's about as funny as your little stunt with throwing your voice to distract Tobita about three hours in. Don't think I didn't notice that." Lying through her teeth. She had thought it had been hilarious. The man must have imagined himself mad. She wasn't quite sure what the sand user had uttered, but soon after Tobita had developed a sudden and abrupt fear of his own writing implement.

"I'm unaware of what you are referring to." Gaara studiously observed the nonexistent activity outside the window, face passive.

A quiet chuckle broke the easy silence. "You seem quite familiar with our little medic, Gaara-sama."

Two sets of eyes turned to Sukimoto, who sat staring at their interaction in obvious distaste.

Little, echoed Sakura mentally, oh really now? Who remained a chuunin despite his advanced years, who was reduced to political battles over active duty? Little?! I'll show him little, shannaro!

Or not. Political correctness. Che.

"I don't know what you're implying by that comment, Sukimoto-san." Though reserved and almost cheerful sounding, her voice radiated quiet fury. "But my actions outside this negotiation are none of your concern."

"Sakura-san, I would remind you of your position. You may be a close hand to the Hokage but even she answers to this council." Here he closed the brief he'd been reviewing in an infuriately controlled manner and rose to leave, eyes meeting in a final challenge as he turned to exit. "Good day to you."

It took every ounce of Sakura's self control not to send the lesser skilled ninja flying. Tsunade-sama would just assign her even more paperwork than she was already drowning in, and the satisfaction of seeing the man reduced to smithereens wasn't worth anywhere near that anguish. She turned to Gaara, blinking furiously in an effort to not transfer her death glare to the Kage.

"I'm going to kill that man. There isn't a nin in ANBU that could stop me."

Gaara smirked maliciously, eyes laughing. "I'd help hide the body."

Sakura scoffed, preparing to jump out of the open window. "Like there'd be anything left to hide. Ichiraku?"

"Aa. Ichiraku."

She leapt out of the window, his own body free falling after hers as he pushed away away from the sill after securing his gourd. Touching ground, they began to slowly make their way through the relatively clear streets in the direction of the ramen stand.

"Are you sure you want to go to Ichiraku? I mean, there are other places to eat."

He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his long-coat, shaking his head. "I liked the food last time. It's fine."

Silence ensued, and street noise and their own footsteps filled the gap. Peering at Gaara out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't resist temptation.

"So, I'm pregnant with your baby."

Gaara staggered, stumbling over his own feet. Recovering, he turned his head to stare, piercingly, at her, expression unreadable but vaguely threatening.

"We're also secretly married, sadomasochists, and using your sand for kinky purposes. According to the town grapevine."

"Your point is?" Jaw clenching and unclenching, his expression had taken a definite turn towards menacing.

She shrugged. "I just thought I'd give you a heads up. This is the gossip generated from just one lunch."

"And?" His stomach felt odd.

"Well, I know you're a very private kind of person...so..." her voice trailed off, thought unfinished.

"So?" His retort was so vehement, she flinched.

"Most of the town needs a lesson in remedial biology?" He glared. "Oh, I don't know!" She sped up walking a little, and he increased his pace to match hers. "I just, ah, just thought that you should know," she finished, falteringly.

The blue of the noren curtains suddenly loomed in the distance, and Gaara contemplated the back of her head. Anger toward the kunoichi stood out in his thoughts, firstly. Then confusion. The purpose of her emphasis on said implications was in order to... humiliate him? Why would she, after her previous actions? A thought struck him. For his own benefit? Gossip was a useful weapon in the arsenal of a ninja, as the old adage went. His hands curled inside his pockets, unseen. Moving swifter than the untrained eye could follow he appeared in front her, standing directly in her path.

"Who cares?"

"Well, Hatsumi or Sukimoto, for one," She gave a lopsided attempt at a grin. For his benefit then.

"Like I said, who cares? It's all talk, so why even give it consideration?" Gaara's gaze was intense and his eyes seemed to glow, luminescent, from his black rimmed lids. Seconds crawled by.

"I don't." She cleared her throat. "I don't care," she stated with conviction, staring into those same eyes.

"Hnn." Friendship, as he was learning once again, was strange.

"Out with Gaara instead of me again, ne Sakura-chan?"

Her head turned slowly to her left, body frozen. The blond jinchuuriki stood rocking on his heels holding a ramen voucher next to Kakashi, who leered past his book at Gaara in obvious amusement (as much as a masked, one eyed man could leer, though if anyone could accomplish such a feat, it would be Kakashi).

"Is it the hair then? Ano, Sakura-chan... I don't think Naruto would look good as a red head."

"Kakashi-sensei!!"

He didn't know what to be impressed with more, the fact that she'd managed to crisp the copy nin, or the fact that the man had opted to take the fire jutsu head on in preservation of the book clutched behind his back.

"Scary, Gaara. Scary." Naruto shivered, watching as Kakashi ducked and rolled to avoid becoming extra, extra crispy.

Shukaku was cataloging the new variations on the epithet 'dirty old man' for posterity, roaring with demented glee as Sakura's shrieked accusations echoed off the nearby buildings causing several mothers to clap hands over tender ears.

"And you!?" She spun to face a shrinking Naruto, who's arms flailed in hopeful pacification.

"I didn't mean it Sakura-chan! Honest, I didn..."

A yellow and orange blur met green and Gaara felt vaguely sorry for the timber as Naruto sluggishly attempted to extract himself from an impromptu tree hug. Kakashi was faintly growling in a sooty attempt to locate a seemingly missing eyebrow.

If anyone had shifted their attention from the ongoing example of why not to get on the bad side of a kunoichi they would have found an even greater terror inspiring visage in the wide, toothy grin stretched across the Suna-nin's face. It was the best amusement he'd had in weeks.

"Oh I know you didn't, you dumb-ass fox! I'll show you scary!" Thud. Groan.

The tanuki cackled; Gaara snickered. Scary. Right.

-----

Author's Note:

This one I wrote at three a.m., cracked out on, re-wrote then wrote again --falls over-- Enjoy my pain, it was a fun distraction from exams. Summer…whoot! Huge thanks to my beta over at LJ, Adaliseranis, and the lethal-empathy community at large.