Gaara had just stepped out of the shower, his will to murder on a hair's trigger after the afternoon meetings and he had all but disappeared on site when they were concluded. Council meetings for a normal person were stressful. Gaara had to add on the fact that they weren't his council; they invited him for his ideas; and Gaara had an actual bloodlust he had to actively repress. Wiping the fog away from the mirror the 24 year old moved to check if he had grown any grey hairs. There was a patch around the crown of his head growing that he tried his best to hide; not that he would admit he had any amount of vanity in him to do so.
Staring for a moment at himself he glanced over at his shoulders, broader than he was as a child and nearly more broad than his older brother. He always had defined Traps and triceps, but carrying a 60 pound gourd since you were eleven would do that. What had changed were the chiseled abs and pronounced pecks that he had gained. Gaara was tired of being down right tragic at Taijutsu and took up Lee's offer to teach him a thing or two. Gaara had never felt closer to death than that moment (including the time he actually died) but the results made the once scrawny teen look like a presentable young man these days. Placing a hand over that prominent scar on his chest, Gaara sent out a pulse of his own chakra and smiled as he felt the familiar resistance of the pinkette's own chakra. It was faint now, but still there. If she truly focused she could sense him from miles away with that drop imbedded into the scar tissue.
Smirking to himself the young kazekage moved to get dressed and step out for the evening. He had an errand to do.
Whether it was fate or bad luck when the red head stepped into the Yamanaka flower shop it was the best friend of his pink kunoichi that was at the counter. Smiling at him she called over as Gaara closed the distance, "Ooh a kazekage in the shop how important. Did Temari send you in because she wants more sunflowers in her kitchen? I swear she can sense when we get new ones in."
Shaking his head no but chuckling slightly the redhead leaned on the counter and added, "No but add a dozen of those to my tab. If you deliver could you send them to her tomorrow morning? If not I'll pick them up myself in the morning." He added knowing the site of flowers with her morning coffee always brightened the mood of his sister.
"We do deliver and I can do that. If you're not here for Temari then who is the lucky lady, or man." Rolling his eye lightly at the known gossip queen of Konoha he murmured out,
"It's actually for Sakura. I had a disagreement with Sasuke at Naruto's earlier and I want to apologize. Plus I want to thank her for being my escort this week. I'm not really the most predictable of guests. I used to annoy the crap out of my ANBU guards till they learned my patterns."
Nodding with a smirk she actually gaping a bit at the Suna native's attempt at humor. "Wow was that you both saying you're a shinobi that knows how to apologize and you can be funny at the same time? I get why your fan club has chapters in every village." She teased moving to ring him up before pausing.
"Well how about this. I could give you Sakura's favorite flowers. Guaranteed to make her happy and put you ahead of Sasuke in the amends department with her." He nodded about to pull out his wallet when the blond held up a finger, "But you have to answer some questions first."
"About?" The kazekage questioned, putting his arms over his chest in his standard pose.
"You. I'll keep it simple. I'll ask you 20 questions about your personal life. No names of other people need to be given. And I'll even put the flowers on the house. This is plenty payment."
"Why do you want to know about my personal life?"
"Because!" Ino nearly shrieked with a pout on her face. "You're like everything at once. You're a diplomat and really quiet but you're really good at talking and you know rock stars. You drink and you have tattoos and you cover yourself in the latest fashions, yet you have a cacti collection and you never seem to do anything stupid like the other boys. I just have no idea who the hell Sabuku no Gaara is and honestly that is not my mo. I can not be the information queen if I couldn't answer two sentences about you that people you have a passing acquaintanceship would know."
Nodding slowly the redhead processed her reasons and deemed her desire to understand him more harmless enough, "1 question."
"10"
"2"
"10"
The redhead glared in a hint that his patience was wearing thin. He never claimed he was patient and hoped that the other knew so. The blond paused and added with a finality. "5. And I'll put on tea."
"…4"
The kunoichi nodded her acceptance and Ino went to put on a cup of tea in the back, coming back with a second chair for him.
"Ok so while the tea brews let me think of a nice starter question." She paused with a finger on her lip in thought.
"Oh I know, what is one thing you do by yourself that no one else knows you like to do?" Sitting down on the chair the redhead paused before uttering out.
"I rather enjoy listening to rap music, specifically instrumental beats. It helps the paperwork go by quicker. Kiri actually has rather good rap music if you ever visit."
Shaking her head the Yamanaka grinned, cat-like, at her findings. "You don't disappoint Sabuku no Gaara. Starting off strong."
Hearing the whistle of the tea she ran off and soon came back with a tray of tea and the light additives that went with tea. "It's a lemon and hibiscus blend we make right here in the shop so I think you'll enjoy it." Putting a dollop of honey in hers she took a slow sip before piping up.
"Might as well dispel bad information before we add anymore more good. Shed some light onto the rumors that you are gay?"
Scoffing lightly, the kazekage took the tea with a sniff before taking a slow sip and thinking about how to answer it. "As to if I am opposed to the affections of a woman no I am not gay. however, and I encourage you to be quiet about this until I can silence my own council's opinion on the matter, I am not opposed to the affections of a man. I have been denied the comforts of touch and love for most of my life. What someone identifies as should matter little to me in the larger scheme of things."
The blond seemed absolutely shocked, running through many scenarios through her head before whispering. "Wow, a bisexual Kazekage. Gotta be a first."
"Not really." The kazekage quipped sipping his tea, It really was rather good. "The third was widely rumored to be homosexual, merely taking a wife for political reasons."
"Nice to note. Well if we're on the subject of bedroom partners I might as well ask, What's your number Gaara?"
Thinking lightly the red head moved to set the cup down and reply. "I honestly couldn't tell you. Maybe half a dozen men and around double that of women from the time I was 17 until I was 21. I've slowed down quite recently and only had two sexual partners since the war; well three but I would really rather not revisit my slip ups on vacation."
Ino dropped and shattered the cup at his mention of a number closing in on 20 by 24. "Holy shit. I, I am honestly shocked. Best gossip ever. Gaara, kazekage of Suna, playboy?!" The red head sighed and moved to add, running a set of fingers through his hair.
"I was discovering the idea of relationships and affection and unfortunately that came across at the same time as most boys go into a high sexual puberty. Most of the people I was with cared little for my happiness or well-being. To them I was rich and powerful and a notch to add to their belt. Honestly, I didn't know any better than to be grateful for someone willing to be with me."
Cleaning up the cup and arranging it back together with sand he touched the rim of the cup; placing a bit of fire style to mold the cracks with the sand, giving it a new design.
"I know now how many people face similar problems as I did. I put in a lot of funding to help people deal with abuse, addiction, and mental health and not falling into the trap of just finding another vice. Changing bloodlust into workaholism into plain lust was not a healthy way to become an adult."
Ino nodded slowly at the confession holding his hand before realizing what she was doing. "That is amazing. I-I don't know many men that would admit to something like that, let alone put money into making sure it happens to less people in the future or that when it does there is someone there that wants to help, that cares." Standing up she went to go wrap up Sakura's flowers, a unique blend of tiger Lilly that had pink in the color pattern.
"I added a few bits of forget-me-nots and some purple hyacinth for color and this pink rose was in full bloom so I know Sakura would just love it."
"So you want me to tell her I'm sorry but I'm prideful. I'll be faithful to her; I have fond memories of her and I still love her?" The kazekage asked quirking up the muscles where his eyebrow would have been.
"Didn't expect you to know flower language so well kazekage-sama. I can say that Sakura was never this good at flower meanings but I suppose she never saw the point."
"Suna is a village that thrives on its poison specialty. Many flowers have traits that can be poisonous. The language of flowers is something that we pick up on over time. Plus with how well our greenhouses have been doing with our chakra enhanced, water-saving plants, more and more flower shops have been popping up in Suna."
The kunoichi hummed in response and passed the bouquet over to the red head, with a receipt for the sunflowers and their delivery time for his sister.
"Ino, you never asked your final question. Did I answer all the queries you seemed to have about me?" Smirking the blond nodded before heading back to the counter.
"You never denied that wasn't exactly what you wanted to say to Sakura-chan. My last question was what were your feelings to her anyway. I don't know what you two are or were or whatever but, I wish you luck." She chuckled placing a yellow daffodil in the lapel of his jacket.
"You're quite the enigma Sabuku no Gaara." She teased waving him away. Flowers, flowers were their start weren't they?"
—
Sakura sat groaning at the kitchen table. Another day of dealing with the paperwork for installing the Children's mental health clinic. It was bad enough in Konoha, but Suna doctors didn't trust her, all their laws were different and if she didn't see a color that wasn't brown she was going to scream. Seemingly as she was just deciding to do so a gemstone that looked like a rose and a bright pink flower appeared in front of her.
"What is this?" Looking up to see that it was the kazekage who gifted her the items she picked up the bright pink flower and grinned softly. "Gaara?"
"Desert rose is good for transferring energy from negative to positive. Plus the flower is seen as a sign of prosperity." In short, cheer up and don't murder my medical staff. She deduced placing the flower in her hair and moving to give him a hug.
"Thank's Gaara. You didn't have to go out of your way to do this."
"It's no trouble." The redhead uttered, stiffing up a bit in the arms of the kunoichi. "I passed the tree on a patrol around the dunes. I know that don't grow wild in the leaf so I assumed you would enjoy them."
She nodded looking at the stone and smiling softly at it's petal like structure. "I do, and I appreciate it anyway." Glancing at the time she smiled and asked, "Would you like to join me for dinner as a thank you? I could use a bit of time away from the desk and I know no Kage in their right mind doesn't need time away from their desk."
Chuckling softly and nodding, the redhead motioned for her to take lead, "True, but the coming back to the desk part; that's what will drive a person to madness. I should know."
Sakura paused and turned to look at the redhead behind her. "Was that a joke?" The redhead nodded lightly before adding.
"Temari and Kankuro say I have a horrible sense of humor. I really should stop being funny."
"They're right." Sakura added turning away from him and walking. "Your sense of humor is awful." Glancing back at him she grinned and added. "But don't stop telling me jokes because I like your sense of humor."