"Ino, you have to tell him. You're going to kill yourself otherwise." Sakura stated to her best friend who held the lab results in her hands; which were shaking. The pinkette didn't know why Ino was so afraid, but she figured it was because Kankuro said he didn't want kids. That didn't mean forever… right? Unless he said he never wanted kids, which isn't what Ino told her.
Ino sighed and placed the papers on the desk, "I may just have to get rid of it."
"Are you serious?! Ino, I could understand—"
The blond gave her a small frown, and simply shook her head when tears started to spill over her cheeks. "I wouldn't do that Sakura, but I'm afraid it'll ruin our relationship."
Sakura felt a sigh of relief escape her lips, and she placed a hand on her shoulder; "If it's meant to be, then it won't matter Ino. I highly doubt he would divorce you because you ended up pregnant." Considering the blond was on birth control, Sakura figured it was supposed to happen this way. Birth control isn't 99 percent effective regardless.
She wiped her cheeks, "I'll tell him tonight and let you know how it goes. Thanks Sakura." Ino pulled the other woman in for a hug, and ended up leaving her afterwards. Sakura watched her back before sighing herself, while running a hand through her pink locks.
Perhaps she was being ridiculous. Should she call Morio again and tell him everything is okay, that she wanted to try another date? Her heart pounded slightly in her chest when her mind told her that isn't the person she wanted to date. Sakura knew her mind was right, but that didn't mean she wanted to admit it.
Shaking her head, she moved back to her office and paused her movements when she noticed the red head she had been thinking about was leaning against the wall next to her door. Her heart started to pound again when several scenarios of why he was there appeared in her mind: What was he doing there? Why was he there? Did he know she had the pendant?
When he looked at her, she swallowed lightly at the intense look in his jade green hues that seemed to pierce through her. "I brought you lunch." He stated, holding the bags he held in his hands up so she could see them. It was from her favorite place. The last time he brought her dinner, it was from some restaurant she never heard of; but she enjoyed it. She told him most of what she liked afterwards though.
"T-that's very kind of you." Why? She wanted to ask, but couldn't find her voice when she tried.
Gaara chuckled softly, and she realized she had only heard him do that maybe three times; which made the sound even more special. "I figured you were too busy like you usually are to grab something. I was coming this way, so I figured I would help you out."
She felt her cheeks heat up, but she tried to shake it away before he could see it. She hasn't acted like this in a long time. She remembered when she was younger, and she had a huge crush on Sasuke Uchiha; one of the heartthrobs in her high school. This is exactly how she acted around him. He was a grade A asshole though.
"Thanks, it means a lot." She unlocked her office door and led him inside, stopping when she noticed her book on her desk. She paused and nearly had Gaara smack into her. "Um, Gaara." She reached forward and opened her book; grabbing the pendant from inside.
Gaara did not react when she brought it out, and he simply kept his eyes on her. It made her feel more nervous than she initially wanted to be. "You dropped your pendant at the wedding. I know it's been a while since then, but I kept forgetting to give it to you." Her voice started to waver, and she mentally cursed herself. That's how people would know she was lying. The good thing was; Gaara wouldn't know since she's never technically lied to him before.
He reached forward and took it from her grasp; his fingers brushing lightly against her flesh. "Thank you." Gaara had no intention of taking it back, but he couldn't really deny it from her, now could he? Perhaps he could slip it into her bag or something.
"You're welcome. I know you might be angry—"
"Do I look angry?" He interjected, tilting his head lightly as he asked.
Sakura could practically feel her heart pounding through her chest, and almost wondered if it would push through her ribcage. "No, you don't… but… I just…" She trailed off, and had absolutely no idea on how to react to this whole situation. Since she's known him, she hasn't really seen him show much emotion at all; so, when he did, she enjoyed what she could get. "Never mind, it's stupid."
Gaara nearly chuckled, but he simply shook his head and sat down in the other chair. Opening the bags, he handed her the thing he ordered for her, and grabbed his own food. Cracking his chopsticks in half, he began to eat. A part of him wasn't sure why he came out there to give her food, but a little voice in the back of his head stated it was just because he wanted to see her.
The pinkette started to eat as well, a comfortable silence passing over the two of them. Once she was halfway done, a knock came to her door and she looked up to see Tsunade standing there. Her mentor looked surprised at first, but then a small smirk appeared on her lips. "Sorry to intrude, but I need you in Exam Room 3 Sakura."
Sakura felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment, and stood up once she regained her composure. "Sorry Gaara, I guess I need to go with my mentor. I'll see you later though?"
"Text me." Gaara stood and grabbed his remains; watching her leave afterwards. Once he assumed she was completely gone, he stuck the pendant back into her book. 'I hope you know why I am giving this to her, mother.' He thought this to himself as he looked up at the ceiling.
There were risks when he left it, but he figured there was no better place for his pendant to be.
Gaara stared at his laptop in annoyance. He had it approaching its end, but he wasn't sure how to make it appropriate. He shut it, and leaned back on his couch; staring straight up at the ceiling. He wondered if he could somehow ask Sakura without revealing his identity.
He sighed and closed his eyes. His insomnia had returned, and was worse than ever, but he tried to play it off often. Perhaps he should meet with his doctor again because he was feeling exhausted constantly. Just as soon as he was starting to drift off to sleep, his phone rang and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked at the caller ID before answering it; "What do you want Kankuro?"
Kankuro chuckled on the other end, "Why are you so hostile? Can't a brother just call?"
"No."
"Well fine, I am calling because I wanted to tell you that Ino's pregnant."
Gaara was silent for a moment, obviously not expecting that in the least. "… I suspect congratulations are in order." He stated softly, feeling a bit strange. He suddenly felt envious of Kankuro, though he wasn't particularly sure why. His mind jumped back to Sakura, whom he had seen earlier that day because he brought her something to eat. He also placed his pendant back into the book.
Shaking his head, he made sure he was listening to Kankuro when he spoke again. "I don't know, I guess I am sort of nervous about this whole situation. She was highly upset, crying and telling me she was afraid I was going to leave."
"Are you?" Gaara asked, recalling a conversation they had about kids a few years prior. Kankuro was adamant about not really wanting kids, though Gaara wasn't sure if he changed his mind or not.
"No, why the hell-? Oh…right, I told her I didn't want kids but I didn't mean forever. I just figured it wouldn't be the right time. I suppose Kami had other plans."
That caused Gaara to chuckle lightly, "Well, I am glad you guys are alright. You do not deserve heartbreak."
Kankuro didn't respond right away, and it seemed like that because he was startled with Gaara's words. He always figured his little brother did not care for the blond, but that didn't mean he didn't want Kankuro to have any happiness. "Thanks, I figured I'd tell you before Temari. She's going to have a field day with this one."
They spoke for a few more minutes before they hung up, and Gaara stared at his phone blankly once Kankuro was no longer on the other end. He looked at his laptop again, before eventually standing up, and moving out of his apartment once he grabbed his coat. Getting into his car, he drove to the park, and moved towards one of the picnic tables in the middle after he arrived.
Sitting down, he placed his hands into his pockets and stared up at the moon. So, his older brother was having a baby, and his older sister already had one. He pursed his lips into a fine line and wondered about his own life. Would he ever have the pleasure of being with a woman? Holding her hand, nuzzling her hair, and kissing her at night when they share intimate moments in bed…
He looked down at his hand when he brought it out of his coat, and he wondered how it would feel. Would someone look at him like Ino looks at Kankuro? How Shikamaru looks at Temari? With a soft sigh, he moved back to look up at the moon again; his mind racing with a million thoughts.
Going back to thinking on Sakura, he realized he held her the night of the wedding. He could feel her heartbeat, and her heat. She practically felt like a heater now that he thought about it. Closing his eyes, he recalled what he felt in that moment, and wondered if this was what love could feel like. Is this what Temari stated when she described what Shikamaru has done for her?
'Actions…' He thought to himself. 'What kind of actions would Sakura make if she was trying to show someone she liked them?' Gaara thought back to their previous conversations, and how they were around one another. He knew his eyes lingered on her longer than they should, and he could tell how she regarded him with smiles even when she thought he wasn't looking at her.
Sometimes her cheeks would heat up from the moment, and she would seem shy. Considering he had just met her a few weeks ago, he thought of her as someone who was headstrong; outgoing; and not shy in the least. If she was unable to be in front of others and cannot handle certain stressful situations, she would not be a nurse.
So, were her actions towards him normal? He recalled the night he saw her with that other male, and noticed how she looked. She seemed reserved and closed off, which meant she was not comfortable with the situation she was in, and she was barely paying the other guy any mind. Every time they spoke, she was looking him in the eye, and her lips caressed a smile.
Gaara tried his best to make sure that smile never disappeared from her face. He was not a normal man; for he was not used to social interaction with female's other than his older sister. He had never kissed someone or held their hand. He's never even felt love for another person which could be viewed as romantically.
Grabbing his phone out of his pocket, he opened it up and went to his photos. Once he came across the one of Sakura he snatched when she was in the hospital, he felt his heart speed up just a small fraction. She was not aware of him taking the photo, but he wasn't doing it in a stalkerish manner. Her emerald hues were focused on her desk; and her pink hair framed her face almost angelically.
'Why do I feel so connected with you?' Gaara brushed his fingers over the screen before he closed his eyes again. The cold air barely bothered him as he sat there lost in his thoughts; Sakura taking over most of what he was thinking about. He finally remembered saving her from those bullies, and the initial judgement of her when she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
He had never been nice to anyone much in his life, but that was the moment he found himself wanting to be everything those old fairytales deemed a hero to be. Gaara was not a prince charming, though she had looked at him like he was. He couldn't believe he had forgotten about the pinkette and that moment, but he was glad Temari recalled this memory.
Perhaps this was what he needed. Perhaps she was what he needed. Reopening his eyes, he leaned back on the table and kept his focus up on the moon which stared back at him. For the first time in his life, he realized he was not lost. This is exactly where he needed to be.
