Hinata was dozing on the sofa when there was a quiet knock on the door of Naruto's apartment. Glancing at the sleeping woman to check she hadn't been woken Naruto made his way silently to the door.

"Hello?" he asked opening the door "Neji?" he said in surprise as the tall white eyed man entered

"Have you seen Hinata…." Neji stated only to be cut off by Naruto placing his hand over Neji's mouth

"Sh! She's asleep on the couch" he whispered fiercely

"What the hell is she doing on your couch?" Neji growled

"She fell asleep there"

Neji looked to the heavens "What was she doing here in the first place!" he poked Naruto in the chest

With a quiet growl Naruto grabbed his finger "Hinata brought me back home when I fainted and was staying to make sure I was recovered when she fell asleep on my couch…. happy now?"

"No…her father is going mad, its one in the morning!"

Naruto rubbed his head "I didn't realise it was so late" he said

"What don't you know what a clock is?" Neji said snidely bending over Hinata to wake her up.

"He doesn't own one Neji-san" Hinata said opening her eyes and sitting up "I should be going…thank you for the meal Naruto-san" she smiled at him when Neji wasn't looking

"Thank you for bringing me home" Naruto smiled as the door closed.

As they walked down the stairs Neji sighed "Hinata what are we going to tell your father? He won't like the truth"

"Ano…. I'll tell him I was meditating at the Hokage monument…if you'll go along with it" she looked down at her feet

"Hinata…. why Naruto, out of all the suitable men in the village you had to choose the unsuitable one" Neji closed his eyes at the foolishness of his cousin.

"Because I love him" was all she could say glancing back at the apartment she had just left.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile on a different street Ino and Gaara were walking back to Ino's shop.

"So where did you get a suit from?" she asked looking him up and down again

Gaara smiled "Tsunade-sama saw fit to assist me with preparing for our date"

"Oh so this is a date?" she asked teasingly

"It is if you want it to be…" Ino was rummaging in her pockets when he said this, but she looked up and flashed him a stunning smile. As she removed her key Gaara began to walk away

"Gaara?" she called gently he turned back "Its not late, you can come in if you like" She blushed red realising what she had just insinuated and busied herself unlocking the door. There was hot breath on her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist "I'll be back in a little while…. I'm not accustomed to these clothes…I want my own back"

Ino turned slightly pressing her cheek against his "Okay" she whispered and he was gone walking quickly down the street.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ino smiled as she quickly made herself a cup of strong coffee and changed back into her normal clothes. Looking at her watch she turned on the lights in the shop window before sitting down to work on another Bonsai.

She heard the shop bell ring at one point but didn't move, she was fully engrossed in her work. It was only the smell of fresh coffee so out of place after she had been working so long that finally snapped her from her plant-induced trance.

"Hmm?" she asked stretching "oh!" she eeped coming face to face with Gaara

"Hey" he greeted her

"Hey yourself" she replied chirpily before catching a glance of the clock. "One am?" she questioned, "Gaara you must have been waiting ages!"

"Yes…. but I like to watch you work" he smiled at her

"A, ano Gaara that's sweet of you, but I'm such a bad host!" she looked dejected and Gaara hugged her softly "No, you're not…I have learnt a lot about Bonsai whilst you were sat here"

"Eh? How?"

"You mutter as you work" he grinned now

"What? Oh." she noticed his grin "fool you are teasing me! Grrr I'm gonna get you!"

She stood and began to stalk towards him. Gaara just stood there, to his surprise however his sand did not come up to protect him as she closed in for the kill, and began to tickle his sides mercilessly

"Argh!" he cried laughing unused to being tickled he fell and Ino tried to stop him but it resulted in both of them ending up on the floor together. "St, stop!" he laughed out as she continued.

Ino did raising her hands dramatically "not until you say the magic word!"

Gaara captured her hands and gently, not taking his eyes from hers kissed them in the palm "Please?"

Ino smiled at him and gently kissed his hand then clamoured to her feet. She walked to the doorway where she paused. Turning she beckoned him. "Come on!"

When Gaara reached the door she had disappeared, however noticing the back door to the shop was open he exited.

Like the shop the first thing that hit him was the smell. Lavender, peppermint, apple and cherry blossom all mingling with the sharper scent of water. After years of living in a desert Gaara's nose was attuned to water. He heard someone take a deep breath nearby and turned to see Ino stood in the middle of the dew-wet grass with her arms outstretched seeming to embrace the garden and the moonlight.

She opened her eyes when he approached and put her arms around his neck "Do you like my garden?" she asked quietly

"Its beautiful…. so unlike home" he answered wrapping her in his arms.

"Tell me about your home" Ino asked quietly slowly sitting down bringing him with her. When she was resting on his shoulder Gaara began to tell her about his home.

"…. And when you get a clear night like this the sand sings."

"It sings?" there was a note of question in her voice and she turned to him curiously "how?"

"When you get a large Sand dune, other sand will slide down it and the sand grains rubbing against one another cause notes"

"That's amazing," she said snuggling down again "I almost wish I could hear it"

Gaara suddenly brought one hand out in front of him building a small dune of sand.

"Gaara?" Ino said sleepily

"Shhh" he replied concentrating.

A pure, quiet note rang out and Ino released an equally quiet gasp. "Gaara that's amazing…"

"Yes" He lay back onto the grass with her in his arms and both fell asleep to the sound of sand music.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

apparently in thedesert sand does actually 'sing'!