Pieces of Colored Glass and Stone:
Moonlight
Word Count: 489
A/N: Naruto and all of its respective characters, including Gaara and Matsuri, belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
"I don't know about this, Kanna," a rather apprehensive Matsuri whispered, fearfully looking over her shoulder to make certain that no one was listening in on their conversation. The streets of Suna were alive with the celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary since the village's foundation. Though the festivity's noise certainly drowned their chatter by comparison, the kunoichi was still paranoid by the possibility of someone overhearing.
"Oh, quit being stupid. Do you want to bag him or not?" Her companion snapped, not bothering to keep her voice down.
"I don't want to bag him. I just want him to . . . to acquiesce to my affections."
"Sweetie, you can call it whatever you like. That still doesn't change the fact that you want to nail him."
"I do not!" The brunette yelled, wincing when she realized the volume of her own voice. Kanna merely replied with an unconvinced scoff before continuing down the busy, congested street. A blushing Matsuri reluctantly followed.
"Look, there he is!" The former exclaimed impishly a few minutes later, pointing toward a quad where four main roads met. There stood the subject of their previous banter, Gaara, along with his brother and sister. "Perfect. Let Operation: Bag Lord Kazekage begin!"
"Don't you think this is rather juvenile?" Matsuri asked with a disapproving frown. "Plus, just what the hell am I going to say to him? 'Hey there, hot-stuff, don't you look mighty fine in this moonlight?' I'll end up getting probation!"
"Mat, you're being ridiculous," Kanna sighed exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. "If you want Ginger to return your feelings, you must create a better come-on than 'hot-stuff.' And don't worry about the lines; you've learned from the master, here! Just remember what we went over and you'll do fine."
It was with those words that Matsuri left her friend's side and entered the slightly less-crowded quad. A sense of dread hung in the air like smoke, but Matsuri couldn't help the begrudging comfort from Kanna's reassurance. The girl was always successful in seducing any man she wanted, and she had gained a fortune in the process. While their reasons may differ, Kanna was right: Matsuri really had learned from the master.
When he noticed her approaching, Gaara gave what could almost pass as a smile before excusing himself from his siblings. Matsuri could feel her heartbeat quicken as the redhead walked toward her. What was the first thing Kanna told her to do? Crap! I can't remember! Oh crap! Oh crap!
In her panic the brunette vaguely noted when Gaara greeted her and inquired as to how her night was going. All of Kanna's tips and advice fluttered from her brain – which seemed to have temporarily shut down from nerves. Realizing that she must look like an idiot just standing there, Matsuri opened her mouth, forming the only words her mind could process: "Hey there, hot-stuff, don't you look mighty fine in this moonlight?"
