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~~~KokoroNoTakara~~~KokoroNoTakara~~~KokoroNoTakara~~~KokoroNoTakara~~~KokoroNoTakara~~~KokoroNoTakara~~~KokoroNoTakara~~~

Gaara and Neji stood staring at each other in the conference room they had ducked into. Neither saying a word as the other tried to figure out what to say first. The awkwardness was so thick in the air that it could be cut with a knife.

Finally Neji decided on an opening line, "Kazekage-sama, if I may. I apologize for my cousin. She wasnt made aware of Sasuke's arrival into the village. She is more hurt than anything that Naruto kept it from her."

Gaara shook his head, but accepted the apology anyways. "No need to apologize but thank you."

Silence fell between them again and Neji wondered what exactly the man wanted. He had no connection to the redhead, not that the redhead knew of. His cousin's crush wasnt anything anyone but he, Sai and Hanabi knew about. It wasnt any of their places to tell anyone and so if Hinata hadnt told Hiashi then she had a reason.

Gaara cleared his throat again, it was now or never, "Why did Hyūga-san really faint?" His pale jade eyes narrowed onto the older Hyūga to let him know he wouldnt be fooled like the blonde Hokage.

Neji groaned inwardly. He knew Hinata was already worried that the redhead might think she was afraid of him and he wouldnt do anything to add to the misunderstanding. Just what could he say so the redhead wouldnt misconstrue the incident without telling the redhead what was Hinata's right to tell him?

"The true reason is not my place to tell you, Kazekage-sama. Just know that I can assure you it isnt because she is afraid of you. The best hint I can give you, ask Shino or Kiba about how she was in the past. You will possibly get the true reason if you read between the lines there." Neji replied having settled on this roundabout way as it would give the redhead a reason to search out his cousin's old teammates and best friends.

If the redhead was seen to be seeking information on Hinata then it could lead to rumors of the Suna leader being interested in Hinata. It could help him look at her in that light if brought to his attention. This was all he could do to help his cousin in her crush. He still had reservations of losing his beloved cousin to the redhead and ultimately Suna if they were to be mutual. However his cousin's happiness was all that mattered to him. Besides, who better to protect his cousin, strong in her own right, than an ex-jinchuriki, fearsome yet respected leader of their closest allied village?

"Hn. Thank you." Gaara nodded his head in a bow, accepting the Hyūga male's explanation as they two left the room. Shino and Kiba. That would mean visiting the Inuzuka and Aburame households. It was easier to visit the Aburames as his sister and the bug boy had already come to him a couple months ago to let him know they were dating. That had come out of left field for him and Kankuro. They had always thought that she and the Nara would end up together but apparently they were just good friends.

As he walked back to the kunoichi that had been escorting him, Gaara pondered on how life had changed. 8 years ago he would never have dreamed that he would be loved, by his older siblings and his entire village. He was leader of that village and they respected and revered him. And not because of fear. He was best friends with the leader of the village they had originally tried to destroy. The same orange clad boy had saved him from his own self destruction started by the sand sibling's father. Now he had found a peace inside of him that he never thought would be there. His sister had also found love and friendship in the same village they had tried to destroy.

Gaara himself was interested in a woman from Konoha, well actually there were two women he was interested in. One was the Hyūga princess, the other due to always being escorted by Shikamaru Nara he had come to notice Nara's younger sister. The two women were like night and day in personality. The Hyūga was quiet, reserved and poised with gracefulness. The Nara was loud and boisterous, seemingly thrumming with energy, quite different from her own brother even. There was though the same underlying kindness and determination. He knew that Koko Nara was best friends with the younger sister of Hinata, Hanabi. He knew nothing about how to go about pursuing a female. Nor how to decide between two equally interesting women. Perhaps he should speak to the Aburame male first.

Knowing the reason behind Hinata's fainting would help serve information to his endeavors. Then he would consult Kankuro or Temari. Kankuro had referred to himself as a "ladies man" but Temari had bluntly pointed out that being popular with tea girls due to being the Kazekage's brother wasnt enough to be called a "ladies man". And pointing out Azura, a fangirl of the Kazekage had just driven Temari's point even further. Kankuro not realising he had been being used by Gaara's fangirls had been depressed for a while after breaking up with Azura. Now the puppet ninja was harsher on any female's advances. Served them right in both Temari and Gaara's opinion. Helped rid Gaara of unneeded distractions as the fangirls who had used Kankuro to get closer only served to irritate him as they had gone to ridiculous lengths to gain his attention usually resulting in preventing him from doing his work properly due to their noise. None of them really held a flame to Hinata or Koko.

While Hinata was a ninja, Koko was not, though was not defenseless. Koko had no interest in being a ninja. She had been taught in the Nara ways and had mastered the shadow manipulation; she preferred to make art. Through inheriting an affinity from a paternal many great grandmother that continued to pop up every other Nara generation since, she could create water, make it any form (gas, liquid, solid, gel etc) and at 16 had already opened her own shop where she sold what looked like glass sculptures but wasnt. She was another friend of the artist ninja that had replaced Sasuke in Team 7 and from what Gaara knew they spoke mostly of art.

The two women were both dark haired. Hinata had the raven blue black tresses that fell into a straight curtain. Koko, like her brother, wore her soft black hair up in a high, less pineapple-like pony than her brother's due to it being longer and Gaara had never seen it down. Hinata had the telltale pale lavender almost white Hyūga eyes, Koko unlike her brother and parents had light cobalt eyes also inherited from the paternal many great grandmother. Hinata had pale porcelain like skin, and Koko had slightly tanned olive colored skin. Both women were well endowed, not that it was a factor to Gaara. He wasnt sure if he had a preference for breast size. They were just for feeding an infant right?

Gaara met back up with the twin bunned kunoichi and requested to be taken to the Aburame's house. In his thoughts he missed the look Tenten gave him. He would start at the old teammates of Hinata. They would know her best. Gaara nodded his head at his thoughts, all the time being unaware that Tenten had been watching his every movement.

Perhaps the copy nin was onto something, Tenten thought. She should speak with him once again about her observations.