Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto…I do own a trio of key chains that show a chibi-fied Sasuke, Kiba, and Gaara as well as a larger key chain of Gaara standing in the desert with his gourd…you all know the one. Oh, and if you wanna see the picture of Kakashi I've been drooling over, check out my profile. There's a link to it there!
Chapter 14: Insults, Dancing, and an All-Around Good Time for Everybody!
When Kina and Gaara finally disengaged and sat at the High Table, Naruto gave the girl a huge hug.
"That was the prettiest, best, and truest song I've ever heard, Kina-chan," the blonde whispered.
Gaara nodded at Naruto's statement and accepted the napkin Kankuro offered him. He wiped away Kina's lipstick from his lips while his wife quickly re-applied what she had lost. They both looked up when Tsunade started talking again from the stage.
"I'm sure I speak for all of us, when I thank Kinabuhi-sama for that beautiful song." Unshed tears shone brightly in the Godaime's eyes and she smiled at Gaara and then at Naruto. "I heartily approve of Kazekage-sama's choice of a bride. Now, let's eat!"
Kina could have sworn she heard someone yell out "Finally!" but ignored it, since it came from the Akimichi table.
00000000000000000
When the main course was finished, Gaara informed Kina that now was the time for them to mingle with the other guests and introduce her to the Clans before the music started. She swallowed nervously and took Gaara's hand. Temari and Naruto, as well as Kankuro and Temeki followed closely behind them.
The first table they visited was the Hyuuga Clan's table.
"Kazekage-sama," Hiashi said as he bowed. The rest of the white-eyed group bowed with him. "Kinabuhi-sama, it is good to know that your husband has found a woman who cares so much for him."
"It's no less than what I feel for her, Hiashi-san," Gaara stated coolly.
Kina was uncomfortable with the growing silence between the two men and smiled at Hinata. "Hinata-san," she said. "It's nice to meet you at last. I can't thank you enough for coming to Temeki's aid this afternoon."
Hinata tilted her head and accepted Kina's thanks. Her eyes widened as she heard one of the more outspoken Hyuuga aunts whisper: "If Temeki is that woman with Kankuro-san, she probably deserved to be kicked out of that boutique."
Both Hiashi and Hinata heard the comment, as well as the Sand nins, Temeki, Naruto, Neji, and Tenten. Temeki blushed and looked down in shame. Just when she had gotten used to the dress and even began enjoying the feel of it and the looks thrown her way, this happens.
Gaara was about to tear into the woman, when Kina's hand tightened on his arm. He looked down at her and noticed her smile had grown a sharp edge, as if she was a freshly bloodied hawk about to dine on a field mouse.
"And why do you say that, ma'am?" she asked in a sweet, calm voice.
Hiashi narrowed his eyes as he waited for what the Kazekage's woman would do. The foolish woman who whispered behind him was of the Head Family; any outright insult would lead to strained politics in both Hidden Villages.
"I don't know if you approved of her attire before you arrived, Kinabuhi-sama," the audacious woman spoke up. "But clothing like that is more at home at a brothel."
Hiashi and Hinata winced at the woman's plain speaking. They looked at each other and knew that there was no way to escape from this unscathed.
"Really?" Kina asked softly. "And if I told you that I not only approved of Temeki's clothing, but designed it as well, what would you say then? Would that make me the brothel's Madam?"
Kina continued as the woman started to sputter. "And if I told you that in my homeland, gowns such as Temeki's are worn by maidens to attract prospective husbands, what would that make my homeland? The brothel, itself?"
Tenten held Neji's arm as the drama unfolded before them. She desperately wanted to come to Temeki's aid, but didn't know what to do that wouldn't make things worse. Around them, conversations ceased as word of the altercation between the Hyuuga Clan and the Suna Bride spread.
"And if I told you that I wore such a gown the night my husband decided to make me his wife, what would that make him? My desperate, lust crazed customer?" she asked harshly, the sweet smile never leaving her face.
"There is no village with clothing like that in Suna…" the woman weakly answered.
Kina tilted her head and narrowed her purple eyes at the woman. "Ah, but I have found the problem," she gently cooed. Her gaze sharpened and her eyes started to glow.
"Your ignorance is presenting itself, Madam Hyuuga. I am not from Suna. I was not born there, nor was I raised there. I forgive you for your lack of knowledge. But believe me when I say that any who give offense a second time witness more of my bloodline limit than a simple light show." (1)
"Is that a threat, Kinabuhi-sama?" Hiashi asked. His respect for the Kazekage's bride grew with each passing moment, but if she erred now, it wouldn't take much for outright war to break out.
The beautiful woman tilted her head in the other direction and smiled at the Head of the Hyuuga Clan. Hiashi was reminded of a katana with fresh blood on it.
"Of course not, Hiashi-san," she said, automatically following Gaara's cue and calling the man by the lesser "-san" rather than grant the Hyuuga the equality of the "-sama" title. "I merely wished to enlighten your Clan member and ease the minds of anyone else who expresses curiosity towards my homeland, its customs, or myself, of course."
Hiashi's eyes widened. Kinabuhi-sama was indeed someone to watch if she decided to take an active role in the politics of her husband's Village.
Gaara chose that moment to extend his hand to Hinata. "Hinata-san," he said. "My wife and I would enjoy your company as I introduce her to the other Clans. Perhaps the encounters will prove to be less strenuous with your calming aura to begin the introductions rather than myself."
Hiashi was blinking in surprise. It seemed that the Kazekage's woman wasn't the only one who possessed a silver tongue. Together, Gaara and Kinabuhi were certainly destined to build Suna to the greatness it had always wanted to achieve.
Hinata looked over at her father and noticed his slight nod. She took Gaara's hand and allowed him to place her hand in the crook of his free arm. She was about to ask about Tenten and her cousin when Kina spoke up.
"It would please me greatly if you allowed Hyuuga Neji and his escort to join us as well, Hiashi-san," she requested. "I find myself with the need to be surrounded by others my age. You understand of course…"
The Hyuuga nodded and allowed Neji and Tenten to join the Kazekage's growing entourage.
With Gaara in the lead, escorting both Kina and Hinata, they left the Hyuuga table and headed toward the others.
00000000000000000
"Oh my God!" Kina burst out as she sat in one of the chairs on the moonlit terrace. "I wanted to claw that woman's eyes out and turn them into earrings! No offense, Hinata, Neji."
The two Hyuuga cousins laughed and waved her apologies away.
"She's always like that," Hinata said. "I don't know why Father brings her to these things anyway. Her big mouth almost always gets us into trouble."
"Maybe she has embarrassing pictures of him," Neji joked, unexpectedly.
Hinata paused to think about it and laughed. "Maybe…" she agreed.
Everyone was on the terrace. After each introduction to a Clan, either Gaara or Kina had made up an excuse to take one or more of the Clan's teenagers with them. Now they were having a little mini-party of their own while the "adults" mingled inside.
Naruto sat with Hinata, Neji, and Tenten and laughed with them at Neji's joke.
Temari and Shikamaru were cloud gazing in one of the darker corners of the terrace. Kina knew that they were probably making out. After all, who can cloud gaze in the middle of the night?
Sakura sat with Temeki and together they argued and talked about anything and everything.
Ino was where she liked to be: the center of attention of a group of boys. Granted the boys were Kiba, Chouji, Kankuro, and Shino. But she was willing to deal with the others if it meant getting closer to the one she wanted. She smiled and laughed at another of Kankuro's jokes and hoped the Sand nin got the message.
"Maybe they're from when Hiashi-sama was a baby," Neji wondered as he stared at the sky. Tenten shivered next to him and he automatically put his arm around her.
"Or maybe they're of him in drag," Naruto added.
"Him sitting on top of a flamingo's legs," Kina laughed.
"No, it's him trying on Sandaime-sama's hat," Hinata giggled.
By this point, everyone had tuned in to the conversation and started making up ridiculous scenarios of what Battle-axe Hyuuga—as the woman was now being called—had to blackmail the mighty Head of the Hyuuga Clan.
"It's him playing golf with a flamingo," Kina said.
"It's him sucking on his thumb at the age of 30," Kiba called out.
"It's him and a flamingo dancing the mambo!"
"No, it's of him taking pink yukatas out of the washing machine and wearing them wet!"
"It's him trying to ride a flamingo…"
"Kina-chan, quit it with the flamingo," Gaara growled.
"It's—"
"It's time to dance!"
Everyone looked at the Godaime. She stood at the entrance to the terrace and frowned at her shinobi.
"I understand that you're teenagers," she began. "But this Welcome dinner is for everyone. The band has been playing nothing but dull stuff since you guys aren't around to demand something that has more life to it! I demand you get your asses back in here and boogie!"
Naruto looked over at Hinata and mouthed: Boogie?
Kina looked over at Gaara and smiled. "Ready to dance?" she asked him.
Gaara stood up and grabbed Kina's hand. "You bet!" he answered. He ran inside and knew that the others would follow. Out of morbid curiosity if nothing else. He walked up to the stage and whispered something into the band director's ear. The director smiled and whispered to his band.
As this was happening, he took the Kazekage robes off of his body. Underneath, Gaara wore form fitting black slacks and a black dress shirt. And ballroom dancing shoes.
Kina undid the obi and took off her kimono. She handed the fabric to a stunned Naruto and joined Gaara in the middle of the now empty dance floor. The dark blue skirts of her spaghetti strap, knee-length dress fluttered around her as Gaara spun her around twice before pulling her to his body.
The couple stood there gazing into each other's eyes as the first chords of a tango burst into the air.
Everyone sat or stood where they were, stunned at what they were seeing.
The Kazekage was dancing…and dancing well. (2)
Better than 'well' actually.
The couple executed swift turns and sharp moves to the beat of the music. Each step seemed to throb with the sexual attraction between the Kazekage and his wife. Together, they danced playfully, skillfully, and, most importantly, joyfully. Kina teased Gaara unmercifully; dancing close to his body before spinning away only to be caught by the Sand nin once again.
Gaara's strong arms lifted and supported Kina when he brought her into a dip that had her hair brushing the floor. With every accented phrase, the two dancers would strike a tango pose that surprised and impressed their avid audience.
Gaara spun Kina in his arms quickly and then stopped in front of Tsunade and Jiraiya. The younger couple looked at each other and smiled, then grabbed the older couple's hands and pulled them onto the dance floor.
Gaara danced with Tsunade and patiently taught her the basics of the tango.
Jiraiya, Kina noticed, already knew the tango and took the opportunity to show off as he led her in a complicated series of footwork across the floor.
She looked over at her husband and caught his eye. He danced Tsunade over to where she and Jiraiya danced and executed a quick turn that ended with Kina in his arms and Tsunade in Jiraiya's.
The older man shrugged and continued to tango, this time with Tsunade following his lead.
One by one, Kina and Gaara repeated this maneuver with each of the teenagers and then the Clan members until everyone was on the dance floor.
When the tango ended and a waltz began, everyone left the dance floor. But a few couples remained.
Kina and Gaara were obviously one of them.
Tsunade and Jiraiya were one of the others. Along with Hinata and Naruto, Neji and Tenten, and Temari and Shikamaru.
But the one couple that surprised everyone was Kankuro and Ino.
00000000000000000
The band only played one waltz that night. The rest of the music they played was fast, energetic music that didn't really require the intimacy or the counting that the waltz did.
The Entourage—as they had heard many of the 'adults' call the group of teens—were sitting at the High Table, drinking water and talking.
"Hey Gaara," Shikamaru asked. "Where'd you learn to dance like that?"
Gaara took a sip of water and held a sleepy Kina in his lap. "I could ask you the same thing, Mr. Happy Feet," he shot back.
The shadow user laughed as Gaara reminded him about his impromptu tap dancing "battle" with Kankuro. Temari objected to the fact that his shoulder—which she was using as a pillow—was moving. "I asked you first," he said.
"Just answer him so we can go to bed," Kina demanded as she curled into her husband's lap.
The other's laughed at her statement, but knew the time was coming when they'd all have to go home and sleep.
"I grew up in Suna," Gaara finally answered. "And I had Shukaku inside me. Put that together and you get long boring hours with nothing to do. I came across a scroll one day and I thought that it was full of taijutsu."
"It ended up being one of those 'Do It Yourself' books," Kankuro continued. Ino smiled at him from her seat across the table. He smiled back. "Gaara taught himself how to dance with it."
"We—yawn!—asked Father to get us a real instructor," Temari added. "If Gaara wanted to dance, we would too."
"Gaara was declared a dancing master by the age of eight," Kankuro mentioned.
"Wow," Shikamaru said. "I just took the classes because my mom made me."
Gaara chuckled. "What can I say? I had a long, lonely childhood."
No one noticed Gaara's quiet smile when he said this. Except for five people.
Temari and Kankuro smiled happily for their little brother. He had finally found the peace he needed to face his damaged past. Finally, he could be happy. And they both loved Kina fiercely for the gift she had given their brother.
Naruto and Temeki nodded at Gaara's words. They too had had to face difficult childhoods. Naruto had managed to smile through his and work unceasingly toward his goal.
Temeki knew that she wasn't as accepting and persistent as Naruto had been (and still was) and doubted that she would meet someone who would love her enough to help her reach peace like Gaara. She refused to accept that state of mind until her brother was dead. (3)
Kina smiled against her husband's neck and gently kissed it. She always knew that Gaara, this Gaara, was underneath the abrasive exterior. Now all of his friends knew it, too.
A/N:
Okay! Wow! Writing that confrontation scene between Kina and Battle-axe Hyuuga was harder than I thought! I kept wondering what she should say and how she should say it without her actually lying or insulting the Hyuuga family.
This fanfic is far from done, folks! There's still the matter ofwhat will Tsunade do with that pesky younger Uchiha hanging around her village?
Well, we'll see now won't we?
(1) Gaara and the others have decided to keep Kina's demon side a secret. Instead, they blame her powers and her eyes on a "bloodline limit" that doesn't really exist.
(2) This is the secret Kina made him tell her in Chapter 10…hehehe!
(3) Remember…Temeki's really Sasuke and he isn't totally rehabilitated from Orochimaru's mental poison and his hatred against his brother.