A Day

5.

Sakura grumbled, she had never in her life qualified as a morning person and she sure as hell wasn't going to start now. For the past two weeks the real negotiating of the alliance had commenced and that meant several early mornings and many late nights. She hadn't had a chance to really talk with Gaara since they're meeting in the ice cream, he had kept even more busy then her in the past weeks heading each negotiation.

She glanced down at the small piece of parchment in her hand. A small check mark was next to the words 'ice cream shop' and the two other outings remained neatly blank. And while it felt great to bitch to Gaara about how these outings were completely redundant, Sakura couldn't help but feel quietly grateful. While she was sure her reputation would suffer greatly, to those close to her she wouldn't look like a complete slut at least. In two days time there would be a small festival and she and Gaara would attend together then Shizune would perform the procedure after they both left early from the festivities. Sakura stopped after Gaara looking up at the sign towering high over her as it cast a shadow over the odd couple, she looked then at the tall man beside her a quizzical look to her eyes.

"Really?"

Gaara glared down at her and walked forward.

"I mean, I'm sure we'll have a blast but my agenda said our second outing was your choice."

Sakura stared at the back of his head as he stalked toward the gate.

"It was. Just because we were not mobbed at the ice cream shop a few weeks ago does not speak the same for other destinations."

"Yeah I guess, little kids don't really give a damn about their leader when there's animals involved."

"I also find this place somewhat relaxing." Sakura continued to look on with great confusion as they easily walked through the gates, the woman arming the ticket booth smiling happily at Gaara. She was pretty having unusual features for someone of the desert being that of long black hair, dark eyes and the way Sakura noticed Gaara looking at her she could tell he approved.

"Good morning Kazekage-sama as requested the park will be closed till you and your friend are ready to leave."

"Thank you, very much for your services. Haru. Please know that my donation to the Suna Zoo will be larger than ever this year. Come Haruno."

Sakura looked at the blushing woman, and couldn't help but be slightly impressed and oddly like Gaara's dog all at the same at the time. She smiled politely at the girl before speeding up to keep up with Gaara's long stride. It turned out though the outing wasn't nearly as boring as Sakura anticipated. Granted Gaara seemed to brood most of the time while she happily coed at the cute little pandas and anything particularly puffy. They made it through the zoo in under an hour seeing that the premise was not very large and mostly consisted of house exhibits, the final stop was the reptile house. Sakura stared at the snakes behind the thick plane of glass with mild distrust. She would never be able to look at them the same after having helped to battle Orochimaru, just staring at the particularly slimy looking creatures made her cringe. She turned and looked over at Gaara who was standing by the door leaning against the wall, his eyes shut. She walked toward him slowly looking at the lizards and turtles all kept in small glass boxes. She took a deep breath, before looking up at him.

"I've had a rather nice day, but I can't help but say I'm curious as to why you picked a zoo of all places to take me."

Gaara simply looked up at her with a very blank stare and Sakura started to fumble with her hands.

"I mean no offence but you don't seem like the type of guy to enjoy watching animals, while you could be training."

"Haruno, this is one of the few places I don't get swarmed by people the minute I step foot inside and I find the atmosphere oddly calming." Sakura looked at him with a disgruntled look on her face, and Gaara continued to look toward the ceiling.

"I find that Haru is one of the few women I have met that is oddly tolerable."

Sakura blinked, he put up with the stench of animals, and hundreds of screaming children for a girl, it was just so something Naruto would do. And as she stood there watching him closely she realized that Naruto seemed to rub off on everyone he came in contact with.

"Come, we will get something to eat then be done with these pointless outings."

"Thank you for telling me."

Gaara paused halfway out the door his face emotionless.

"The way I see it Haruno you and I are on common ground here and as I've learned you have to put a little out to get anything in return and while the events that will happen in two days time are unavoidable I feel we need to work together for the sake of the child."

Sakura smiled at him and nodded enthusiastically, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Gaara stared blankly at her, while his inside he was trying not to look disgusted, she was animal to put it mildly, she was practically inhaling the raw fish and there was something rather wrong with that in his book. This was what he got for allowing this woman to pick the restaurant, at which they would dine. It figured she found the only one that served sushi in Suna. Gaara looked at dismay at his plain rice, he was hungry and wanted something heavy, not something so feminine. He could practically taste the ramen he had back at his house, just another half n hour and he'd be home free.

"You can't eat fish during pregnancy it's bad for the baby."

Gaara looked up at Haruno, what did this have to do with anything. Why should he care that she couldn't eat fish for nine months, in case she didn't realize it he couldn't go anywhere near woman until he found a bride that wasn't fun for him either.

"I'm eating as much as I can so that I will be able to resist the temptation in the future."

He still looked at her in puzzlement, why was she bothering him with this useless information.

"I'm sorry for grossing you out, I don't usually have such horrendous manners."

Oh, she was attempting to make excuses as to why she was inhaling the sushi; this made sense in a way. He had just pegged it as handing around too much with Naruto.

"Its fine Haruno, I've seen worse." Sakura looked up long enough to look at him and grace him with a small smile before returning to her plate. She looked rather uncomfortable sitting across from him, he supposed it made since considering the last time he had saw her beside on occasion these past three weeks she had been crying over Chiyo. The time before that he tried to kill her. Why she was chosen for this position to be a brood mare in essence puzzled him to no end.

"I know the council put limitations on me when considering the baby, but I promise as the Kazekage I will make sure you are financially sound and that the child does know of my existence."

"You'll make a good dad some day," Sakura said looking up at him.

"Why the hell would you think that?" Gaara asked somewhat taken back.

"Because you've changed, and frankly it's almost enjoyable to talk to you."

"I suppose I should take that as a compliment then, Haruno."

"Take it how you want it, but I don't think you were meant to be a father to this kid. I think when a woman comes around that you find you could enjoy spending time with and when you eventually get married and have cute little black haired babies those are the kids who will need you."

"How do you know they'll have black hair, Haruno?"

"Simple in the short time I've none you you've gone out of your way to see a certain woman, and even gone as far as to say she was bearable. And by your personality I'd say that's pretty damn close to affection."

"Your forgetting about the council, and there inane handle on my life."

Sakura leaned back in her chair and smiled smugly at him.

"And are you forgetting who you are, Kazekage,"

Both parities shared a knowing smirk, Gaara went back to watching Sakura inhale her food and couldn't help but feel that maybe things may just work out in his favor at least when it came to choosing his wife. After all he wasn't a good ruler just because he was in line for the thrown. On occasion his sister even compared his powerful tactics to that damn leaf-nin she used to date. Gaara scrunched his nose, as Sakura ordered thirds, for the life of him though he couldn't even remember the boy's name.

*Author's Note*

Alrightly there is chapter five!! (Yay)

So I've had fun with this Chapter I'm hoping a bit more insight on Gaara was offered as well as Sakura. Next chapter will include all of the sand siblings as well as our pink haired heroine:)

I just want to say I have officially done a happy dance at receiving over a thousand hits on this and I just want to say thank you for reading!

Also I want to thank every one who's Favorited this it means a lot.

Big thank you's to: GonnieLove, ShyWaterAngel, divinemendy, and minniemousemom for reviewing the last chapter you guys are awesome!!!!!

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