Snow in the Desert.
Chapter Twenty-Four.
So sorry it's so late, but I am completely busy nowadays.
I have classes from 9-5 on weekdays, Japanese classes on Saturday and extra Irish classes on Sundays. :\
I don't even have time for my friends or boyfriend, not mind saying fanfic xD
So, for you all patient readers, I made this one longer than usual ;]
Gaara waited patiently in his office waiting for the arrival of Kakashi, his father-in-law to be.
He often pondered of the thought that Miyuki might say the opposite of what he wanted to hear.
But he thought it was absurd.
The thoughts that Miyuki would leave him for Sasuke especially when he asks for her hand in marriage was ridiculous.
He paced his office nervously, prepared for tonight.
He had everything prepared perfectly from the venue to the guests.
Everything was prepared perfectly for her.
He wanted her to enjoy her night to the best and hoped that she would accept his proposal.
For the past few days he has been spending every moment with her as if they were his last.
And they would be if she rejects him.
Although he spent the majority of his time with her, he still had to concentrate on her surprise.
The both of them.
A simple knock on the door was able to snap him from his thoughts.
"Come in." He announced. Just as he hoped it was the grey-haired Nin.
"Ah, Kakashi, it's great to see you arrived." Gaara greeted.
"Morning." He sighed, lazily. "Everything has been arranged. The rest of the Konoha ninja are flooding into Suna as we speak, they will be here by the end of the morning."
Kakashi managed to answer all of Gaara's questions so far.
"And the Uchiha?" He asked. Kakashi seen the question coming but was hoping it wasn't going to slip from the Kazekage's mouth.
"He is here. He is aware there is a birthday celebration. Nothing else." Kakashi was truthful.
"Thank you. How will he react?" Asked Gaara, curious.
"Like an Uchiha. Competition is what they live on as well as their lifelong goals. And his is Miyuki."
Gaara nodded his head to Kakashi's words.
"And if he attacks?" Asked Gaara.
"I will make sure he doesn't. It would be a great jeopardy for him and our village." Kakashi was blunt.
Kakashi sighed. "I know he surrendered Miyuki, in a sense, he will not give up on her, especially if you are to be engaged."
"I understand." Gaara admitted.
"However, I will do everything in power to attempt to strain him."
"Thank you. You are dismissed." Gaara nodded towards him.
"Thank you, Kazekage."
"Please, call me Gaara." Insisted Gaara.
"Gaara, thank you." His eye smiled before he left the room, closing the door with a light click.
"Gaara, thank god you're home! I've been seeing less and less of you!" Her musical laugh calmed his tense muscles from his work.
"Apologies. There's a lot going on at the moment." He advanced towards her and kissed her forehead.
"And for what purpose?" She asked, curious.
"We are preparing for the exams already." He confessed half the truth.
"Isn't that not for another three months?" She asked.
"Ah, yes. But the preparation is vast for the exams." She nodded her head.
She spent the night in Gaara's arms on the rooftops.
He admitted to her it was like his haven.
Where he could go to watch over his pride - his village as well as to express his thoughts to himself and now to her.
They spent the majority of their alone time on the rooftops, she enjoyed the comfort of the night's sky and Gaara's warmth against the harsh winds of Suna.
Slowly but surely, Gaara noticed that she was sleeping once again.
Falling asleep in Gaara's arms was accustom to her, it was a constant arrangement.
She woke to her skin absorbing the sunlight.
She stretched underneath the covers and pulled her body from the bed.
The time was noted as 6am.
She looked to the space where Gaara should be situated but he was not.
This was known a reoccurring event lately.
She figured it was because he was the Kazekage.
The thought of her being second to his work saddened her but it was the harsh truth and had to be done.
She was not going to be selfish.
Idealistically the town would have to be before the Kazekage's partner, otherwise it's illogical and she accepted that to the best she could.
She pushed herself back into the mattress, convincing herself that she should gain more rest.
She couldn't find a reasonable explanation why she should awake at this hour.
Hours later she awoke again in her groggy state.
The sun forced its way through the shutters over the windows that was creating a petty barrier.
Through the raise of sunshine she could vaguely make out a silhouette.
"You slept late." A voice mused.
"Gaara, what are you doing here?" She asked, her blurry vision subsiding.
"That's comforting." He smiled playfully.
She still found it extremely strange to see him smiling.
She often wondered to herself if she could completely crack his mask that was concentrated with lack of emotion.
"You know, because you're supposed to be at work." She convinced him.
"Ah," He mused, "Well, I decided to go in extremely early to finish some work so I could bring you out to dinner tonight."
"Whatever for?" She questioned.
"You forgot?" He cocked an eyebrow, a smile playing on his waited a moment or two.
"Oh! My birthday!" A facial expression of shock played on her face.
She blushed slightly to herself.
Gaara laughed slightly at her reaction, only slightly.
"Yes, for your birthday."
"Aaw, Gaara, you don't have to do that for me." She pushed, hating it when he did things for her.
"You deserve it. I'm running over to the office for a while, I still have some release forms. Be ready for 6pm sharp. I'll be here to collect you for our reservation."
"Yes, sir." He smiled as he leaned forward, placing a loving kiss on her forehead.
After searching for Temari, she decided to help herself to makeup and hair utensils.
A moment later, she was in a dress that hugged her torso with a corset like back but also burst out at her waist like a flower in bloom but only to stop at her kneecaps.
(Inspired by one of my dresses ^^ To Gabs: The one I'm wearing in the picture with my nephew. So Gabs gets the sneak preview of the dress ;D)
Her makeup was smoky with a skin toned complication as her hair wound into light waves with her normal bangs brushing over her eyes slightly.
A knock lightly rasped on her door.
She glanced at the clock, 6pm sharp.
She opened the door to reveal Gaara dressed all too casually for his liking.
She smiled at how handsome and well kept he looked.
He leaned towards her, her heart accelerated.
"You look beautiful." He whispered in her ear before placing a kiss underneath it.
#"And you clean up well." She smiled lightly.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
"Yes."
On the way to the restaurant Gaara held her right hand in his and fumbled with his right nervously.
Miyuki noticed.
"Are you okay, Gaara?" She asked, worried.
"Ah, um, yes. I'm fine." She knew he was having trouble with his wording.
"Here's the restaurant." He announced to her.
Miyuki looked at the silhouettes from outside, reflected by the light.
"Seems busy." She noted.
"It always is, but I have a table reserved in the back." He reassured falsely.
He escorted her foreword with his left hand pushing into the small of her back.
She pushed the door open to reveal a loud chatter of "Surprise!".
She scanned the room with adoring eyes and shock plastered on her face.
There in front of her were the friends she's come to love and adore from both Suna and Konoha smiling towards her.
She noted that Gaara arranged the display for her as the dinner was his alibi.
"Happy birthday!" The crowd shouted afterwards, snapping her out of her state.
"Gaara, thank you!" She exclaimed before she threw her arms around his neck.
He pulled her up to his height with his arms around her waist as she made a 'V' with her legs in midair, a grin visible on both their faces.
The crowd 'aaw-ed' and cooed at the affectionate couple while Gaara slightly blushed as this is the first time he's shown his love for Miyuki in public.
A/n: I must bid you farewell there as I have to make my lunch for tomorrow and get my shuteye. I have to be up at 7am for eight hours of classes -_-'.