A/N: Short, but sweet! I think, my idea of cute is different than other people's so, oh well! Enjoy!
Things were strained between us, that I could tell, but I couldn't pinpoint why. She was tense and rather uncomfortable looking as we made our way to the kitchen and it bothered that she couldn't be happy when she was with me. Stop it Gaara. Your heart will hurt again if you try to think about her like that, I reminded myself. Ever since I'd returned to Suna I'd thought of her, almost day and night. The fact that she didn't fear me, the idea that she-at least used to- care about me, and the fact that it was Sakura Haruno that felt and didn't feel those things about me. I'd often found my heart hurting when I'd thought of her and I couldn't decipher why.
When Sakura made her way towards the fridge I raised an eyebrow and cleared my throat making her turn towards me. "We have a chef. He seems to have gone home, but I can call him back." I walked towards the phone located on the island in the center of the kitchen but Sakura stepped in my path.
"You will do no such thing!" she exclaimed, hands planted firmly on her hips as she gave me a 'challenge-me-if-you-dare' look. I shrugged and she turned away from me before going back to the fridge. She pulled open the freezer door and took out frozen beans followed by frozen shrimp, frozen baby corns, and frozen mushrooms. She then turned and went to the door less pantry next to the fridge and returned with vegetable oil. She looks like she does this every da-oh. That was when I realized Sakura probably did cook for herself every day.
That stirred something in me and suddenly an image of her at the stove with a red haired little boy clinging to her leg flashed through my mine. It made my heart ache and gripped the cloth over my chest. That girl did something to me and I couldn't figure it out. She poured all the frozen foods along with the vegetable oil into a pan and set it on the stove, lighting it. She grabbed a wooden spoon from the cup of kitchen utensils next to the stove and began stirring the pan's contents, humming softly. She paused in her actions only to go back to the pantry to retrieve several sauces and spices he couldn't identify.
She then sifted and flipped around the food before dumping it on two plates and pushing one towards me. I cautiously took a bite and was pleased to find it tasted good. It was slightly sweet, a flavor I usually despised, but it tasted good in whatever Sakura had made.
"Thank you for the diner, Haruno-san," I told her and she glanced over at me.
"It pisses me off when you talk to me so formally," she replied, but instead of hearing anger like she said she had, I heard hurt in her voice.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd want to be spoken to any other way."
"We're friends. You saved my life from the explosion in the arena and got me to a hospital when Sasuke injured me. I prevented Shukaku from taking you over as well as calmed you down. I'd say we've done quite a bit for each other," she pointed out and I couldn't help but to agree.
"How do you know about Shukaku?" I demanded, not liking she knew about the worst part of me.
"In case you've forgotten, Naruto is also a demon host so I did research on them and learned you are the host of Shukaku." I felt the demon stirring at the mention of it and sure enough his voice invaded my thoughts, So the pink haired one is back? Interesting.
I ignored him and trying to avert our conversation from my demon I asked, "So would you prefer if I called you by your first name?"
"Yes. Just call me Sakura."
"Then as long as we aren't in front of any elders or officials, I'd like you to call me Gaara." Sakura stuck out her hand to me and slowly I placed my hand in hers. She then shook my hand and gave me a smile that shot warmth through my body. "How was the hospital today?"
"Well, I fired my first person. The girl at the front desk was talking with her friends instead of actually working!" Sakura sounded astounded by the receptionist's actions and I couldn't help but let the edges of my mouth turn upwards at the somewhat innocent views.
"Not everyone is as dedicated to helping people as you are." I pointed out turning back to my meal and taking another bite. She shrugged and also resumed eating, looking perplexed.
"I know that, but why go into the medical field then? It just bothers me! What if someone was hurt and tried to call the hospital, but the line was busy because she was talking to her boyfriend?" How worked up Sakura got about things she was passionate about was something I hadn't seen in out time together when we were younger, but I liked that she now had confidence and strong beliefs. Being indecisive and constantly fearful of failure wasn't a good look on her.
We finished our dinner and Sakura washed their plates, something I presumed she also did often at how quickly she performed the task. When she had finished drying them she placed them back in the cupboards and I led her to her room. When we arrived, the room being coincidently across from mine, something my sister who had always teased me for my interactions with Sakura, probably had something to do with.
I opened the door and they walked inside, the room having a tan and green color scheme. There was a canopy bed in the center of the back wall with light wood colored nightstands on either side. On the right wall was a full length mirror and a dresser with the same color wood as the bed and nightstands and matching leaf pattern lamps on each nightstand. There were windows off to the side of both nightstands letting in some nice natural light with the addition of a ceiling fan in the center of the ceiling. On the left wall was the door that led into what Temari described as a 'tiny' twelve foot by twelve foot walk in closet and the door that led into the bathroom that had a soaking tub, shower, and long counter with plenty of cabinetry below.
This was my favorite of the guest rooms because of the simple design as well as the fact that it was across from me and Sakura was staying in it. The last part was a more recent reason to like it, but a reason none the less.
"Thank you, Gaara, for inviting me here and I hope I'll be able to help your medics."
"No, thank you, Sakura. Our medics are now learning from the best." With that comment I turned and fled back to my room, heat radiating through my body in a way I couldn't understand.
