Chapter 25
Evening quickly approached…
Much sooner than they expected.
As they walked along the village road towards the gates in the distance, Gaara paused.
This surprised her.
She turned to him.
"What is it?" She asked, curiously. "Something wrong?"
He averted his glance from her.
Mulling over what he was going to say.
He looked down at the ground by his feet.
Choosing his words carefully.
"Nomasaki, I was thinking…" He started, sounding somewhat flustered.
This made her more curious.
Not once had she seen him nervous.
"Yes?" She asked.
He seen her deep lilac eyes looking back at him.
He averted his glance yet again as he could feel his face begin to feel hot.
He was blushing, but ever so slightly.
Trying his best to appear his usual stoic nature.
"Being that this mission is over, would it be okay if I…" He continued. "Treat you to… a dinner, maybe?"
Stunned and flustered, she could feel her face begin to redden.
This was so sudden.
"A-Are you…?" She began to ask.
She jolted, remembering her duties as a shinobi.
"Um, I mean…" She fumbled, awkwardly. "Y-Yes, I can allow that!"
That night, they stopped at a small restaurant stall.
Awkwardly and silent, they sat beside each other on separate stools.
Nomasaki did not know what to expect.
And neither did Gaara.
Was this a bad idea?
"Round of drinks?" The cook approached, a tray full of sake held in his hands.
Snapping out of his nervous daze, Gaara raised his palm.
"Not for me," He spoke. "I-"
"I will have one!" Nomasaki blurted, nervously.
Grasping the small cup, she drank it as the cook walked back behind the curtain.
After swallowing, she grimaced.
"Eck! It's sour!" She coughed. "What kind of milk is this? This must be some kind of Konoha milk…"
Stunned and curious, he turned to her.
Surprised at her naïvety of alcohol.
-Does she know it's sake…?- He thought.
Regardless, she finished her drink.
"If you don't mind me asking, what's the occasion?" She asked, turning to him. "Surely, there must be a reason."
He glanced up at the menu, not making eye contact.
"Just to show my… appreciation for you taking part in this mission." He replied. "Pick anything you want, it's on me."
She beamed.
And she could feel her stomach gurgling.
"That's very kind of you, Gaara." She smiled. "Thank you!"
The cook approached them once more.
"What can I get for you folks tonight?"
"Can I have the meat and veggie skewer?" Nomasaki asked, excitedly.
A small smile was visible on his face as he looked at her.
"I'll get the gizzard and rice." He spoke, turning towards the cook.
"Comin' up!"
Within moments, their food arrived.
Steaming, fresh, and juicy with sustenance.
"This looks delicious!" She beamed, ready to chow down.
Once their food was eaten and their dishes clean, they sat again in silence.
Despite her not enjoying its taste, she kept drinking the "milk" from Konoha.
"Can I ask something?" Gaara started, as he sat with his arms crossed.
"Sure." Nomasaki replied. "Ask me anything you want."
Casually, she drank another round of the "milk".
As he turned away, his eyes closed halfway.
Seemingly in sadness.
"Why did you… quit?" He asked, quietly. "You left your position as my assistant so suddenly. The council had to tell me you resigned."
She placed her small cup down on the table.
Thinking over her answer.
"Well," She sighed. "I… wanted a change. The tracker corps was interested in me because of my abilities, so I accepted."
"I see." He acknowledged. "I was worried I… was part of the reason."
"Actually, you did play as a factor."
Surprised, he turned to her.
"Not in a bad way, it's just…" She began. "A ninja is supposed to keep their emotions in check. And I… well… my emotions…"
This was surprising to him.
Sadly, her eyes closed halfway as she stared into the counter.
"I started… falling for you. And there's no end in sight, so I had to quit." She confessed. "You're the Kazekage, my superior… I was worried that would cause an upset if I… made clear my feelings to you."
She took another sip of "milk".
"That's why I was hesitant to stay in touch afterwards. I still feel bad about it…"
After hearing her confession, he closed his eyes.
Sympathetically.
"Don't." He replied. "I was also hesitant, for… similar reasons."
She turned to him, and her face lit up.
Cheerful.
"You're so nice!" She chuckled.
She sighed to herself.
"You act like you're so emotionless and tough, but deep down I know you're just a big softy who loves cacti."
Her words surprised him, but they were true.
She knew him almost better than his own siblings.
Gently, he smiled at her.
She giggled at his reaction.
Blushing and uninhibited.
Something was up.
"What's so funny?" He asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"You're so goddamn handsome!" She grinned, her words sounding slurred. "Next time, I'M buying us food! Wait…"
Her mind jolted.
Surprising him, she leaned in closely.
They were only breaths apart.
This made him slightly nervous and uncomfortable with personal space.
She was acting very unusual.
"I'll make food next time!"
"Next time?"
She nodded, retracting back to her seat.
"Well," She began to pick her words carefully. "This is like a date so… I would like to take you out on… one of these, too."
"I'd like that." He smiled softly, turning to her.
Blushing wildly, she beamed.
"You make me so happy! I just want to…" She slurred. "Make you just as happy… happy, er…"
To her surprise, she began to realize what was going on.
She sighed, embarrassed but humoured at the same time.
"Gaara, I have a confession…" She started, sounding nearly incoherent.
"What is it?" He turned.
Woozy, she leaned her torso and arms onto the counter.
"I… think I'm getting drunk." She hiccupped.
Not surprised, he closed his eyes.
His arms crossed over his chest.
Almost disappointed.
"You've been drinking sake all night." He stated, his expression stoic.
"You never told me?!" She gasped, drunkenly.
"I thought you knew!" He exclaimed back.
She giggled, ever so slurred and uncoordinated.
"There you are!"
The voice alarmed him.
Suddenly, Temari approached from the village street.
"I heard you were in the village on council business," She spoke. "But I didn't think you were staying the night!"
"Temari," Gaara started. "We could use your help."
"Huh?"
To her surprise, he gestured to Nomasaki.
She looked up to Temari, her eyes glossy and face red.
"Temari, I am… quite intoxicated." She confessed, her speech even more slurred than before. "Can I lay down somewhere?"
Suddenly, she hiccupped.
To their surprise, a pair of wolf-ears popped out from the top of her head.
"What happened?" Temari stammered, still shocked at the sight. "Was she drinking?"
Not once would she think Nomasaki was the drinking type.
Gaara sighed, placing his hand on his forehead.
Embarrassed at his current bodyguard's state.
"She thought the sake was milk."
"Milk?!"
Later that night…
Temari took Nomasaki, who was halfway into becoming a wolf, to the Nara clan's residence.
Waking up Shikamaru in the process.
Once Temari found her friend a bed, she helped tuck her in.
While Gaara let them have their privacy.
"There," Temari sighed, pulling over the blankets up to Nomasaki's neck.
Luckily, her wolf transformation ended as she grew more tired.
Her wolf-ears now disappeared without a sight.
"You can sleep here for the night." Temari said. "You're lucky the Nara clan is nice to visitors and had a spare room."
Tiredly and still drunk, Nomasaki looked up to her as she noticed her walking towards the doorway.
"Temari, did… did you know?" She hiccupped. "Naruto's getting married!"
Catching her attention, Temari paused.
"Yeah, we just got word from him a few days ago."
"When are you and Shikamaru getting married?"
Flustered and shocked, Temari blushed.
"W-What the hell?!" She stammered. "I-I…"
Realizing her friend was still intoxicated, she sighed.
Closing her eyes and smirking to herself.
"You're drunk, go to sleep."
Then, she turned back to the door and began to close it.
"I would like to… get married someday… to your grumpy little brother…" Nomasaki spoke, quietly.
Her words made Temari's closing of the door pause.
Nomasaki turned over, as she began to fall asleep.
Her eyes filling up with sadness.
"I love him a lot but… I'm scared…"
In sympathy and sadness, Temari slid the door closed.
So that her friend could sleep…