Back in Konoha

Chapter 2

Rika finished dressing and shut the closet's doors. Tying her long red hair in a high ponytail and keeping most of her bangs out ofher face with a black bandana, she checked her appearance one last time and in the mirror attached to the door's front. Though not all her bangs had stayed behind she was satisfied with the outcome of her hair. After all, at a meeting you have to look good. His eye-lids were modestly dropped facing the floor. Glancing over her shoulder she made sure he hadn't been watching. "Can we go now?" he inquired and got to his feet. Crossing his arms in font of his chest again he waited for the woman's reply. "Yes." she nodded approvingly. The way he used to cross his arms made him seem as though he built his own barrier up whenever the sand wouldn't.

(Rika POV)

What will it be like to meet Naruto again? Would he have changed? Would he still be the same immature blonde-haired boy who always talked before he thought? I stiffeled a giggle as I followed Gaara. Might he have managed to ask Sakura out on a date already?

His head spun around and glanced at me for a short while. I just smiled at him and shook my head, signalizing my giggle was not meant for him. There was something cute about him though, whenever he woud give me this lost look. Though his facial expression barely ever changed, I could see the hidden hints.

"The actual meeting where you need to be present is held in the evening. You can visit your family in the meantime. I will come and get you when the meeting is held." he informed me politely. I felt as though I was a student supervised in a private school with lots of uptight teachers who would most likely still believe in spanking.

I was happy to get back to the green land I spend most of my life in. Though I did not grow up in Konoha and basically moved around more than settling, I had always been surrounded by green grass. This variatey of flowers and now, everything I would face when looking out of a window was nothing but sand. It looked the same, no difference, It was a weird dirty light brown. Not only was it slipping into every open slit of your clothes, it was a real pain. You might even get to eat sandy food if the cook wasn't careful. How Gaara could actually stand having this itching sand on his whole body while fighting was a miracle to me. But then again, maybe it makes your skin soft? I wouldn't know. The only bit of bodily contact with him was him grabbing my hand when he put the ring onto my finger. And by all means, I was too nervous to even think about his hand touching mine. For me, bodily contact, and if it's only a hug or shaking hands, are essential. I feel like detoxing – detoxing from bodily contact. How hilarious.

(Rika POV End)

"We are close." the red haired man informed as he came to a halt. "I will head for the Hokage's office immediately. This is the point where we part." His voice was the same as before. Usually you would have hugged each other shortly before parting, showing the other that you care, but Rika had learned already, that there was nothing like a hug or shaking hands in the world Gaara lived in. A nod would do it. And she nodded.

"Alright. I will see you then." But she could smile, smile all she want. Though at first, she felt like it might offend him in any way, thinking back on the events, where he was a bloodthirsty monster, ready to kill anything that's moving, she felt that a smile wouldn't do anybody any harm now. On the contrary, it might cause him to be a little happy even. He might just not show it, or not know how to define the feeling.

They parted and Rika headed straight for her family's house. Though they would often visit her, she wanted to see her house again. The house she had spent her past three years in. The house were Naruto had smashed quiet a few plates and broke a table.

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(Gaara POV)

She smiled, she always does. Whatever it was, she would simply smile at him. I never saw somebody smiling as much as she does.

Stopping close before Tsunade's office, I took a deep breath in. This was the first meeting in Konoha, and the first as a married man. A husband to a woman who is a ninja of the Leaf Country. I was sure they would give me awkward looks. Not only was I the 'monster' I was now only married to a strong woman, they all know quiet well. It was not fear creeping up inside me, it was rather curiousity. I was curious as to how they would see me, now that two and a half years passed since ever I left them in shock after they had found out my true identity. Shuukaku. But I am a different man now – a new man. And they would treat me with the respect I deserve.

(Gaara POV End)

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(Rika POV)

"Naruto!" I yelled upon seeing a blonde head of hair appearing somewhere in the distance. "Hey!"

I saw the figure moving faster and within less than a minute, he panted heavily besides me. "It's been a while." I chuckeled and patted his shoulder. Beaming all over his face he hugged me tight and released me a minute after with a shocked expression. "Hey, you've grown quiet a lot!" he exclaimed and eyed my closely. His eyes wandered up and down my body, though I was sure they had rested a little longer at my bosom. Smirking I smacked his head softly. "Dumb as ever, and I thought you would have matured." I teased him and gave him a cheeky look.

"Hey!" he took a step back and pointed his finger at me. "That was mean."

I laughed at him and shrugged my shoulders. "Anyways, down to more important matters." I shifted closer. "Asked Ssakura out on a date already?"

Awaiting the answer in excitement, Naruto's finger rested at his chin. It was then that I realized that his facial structures had become more manly, though there was something about his cute nose, that would always stay boyish.

"Euhm, no." he retorted.

"Oh Naruto, you loser." I smacked him again. "Can't you ever do anything right? It aint that hard." I protested and crossed my arms in front of my chest pretending to sulk.

"Hey, now who's the loser!" he defended himself and drew a kunai.

"Rika! Long time no see." It came from the top of a roof to my right.

"And it's the troublesome guy." I whispered before raising my voice to greet him. "Hey Shikamaru. Is everything still troublesome?" I began teasing him.

"Pretty much." he admitted and growled. I was used to seeing him and he was the only one besides the Sand Siblings to know about my marriage with Gaara. And I planned on letting it stay that way for longer.

"I see you still got it with the weird guys?" The black haired man teased me hinting my marriage with Gaara. Though I was not worred that Naruto would actually understand. He would just screw up his face and think for a while and eventually give up.

"Yes I guess so." I shrugged my shoulders and grinned. "It's you I'm still missing out."

The man's cheeks flushed in a soft pink upon hearing my words. That, he hadn't expected. "But oh, I forgot, you'd rather come and visit Temari." Sitcking my tongue out I threw my arm around Naruto's neck and gestured him to go for a walk.

"Hey!" The blonde protested a little.

"How would you know anyways? That about Shikamaru and Temari." Naruto inquired curiously. His eyes formed to small slits as he eyed me curiously again. "I thought you are moving to whereever the rest of your clan is."

"I did. My clan is just about everywhere. My grand-ma, my mother's mum, lives in the Sand. Hence why I stayed there for a while. She's like a Hokage of our family, or Kazekage you might call it." I explained and withdrew my hand, realizing it looked a little awkward.

"So why the hell didn't you ask her out already?" I yelled as it had come to my mind again. Poking his side furiously I awaited his excuse.

"I don't know!"

Man, I've got to help you with that. That's just a shame.

(Rika POV End)

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The red haired woman's eyes fell upon a small pile of sand on one the high stone fences out of bricks. Immediately her eyes formed to slits just like Naruto's before. Duty's calling.

"Hey Naruto, I'll meet you later again I suppose, there's something I need to take care of." Her expression had stiffened suddenly. Patting him on the shoulder one last time and giving him a short smile, she rushed past him and vanished past the corner.

"We've got to leave." Gaara said leaning against the wall.

"I figured. Let's go then." Her cheerful tone had worn off. Something cold underlay her words now. It was his cold charisma that made it hard for her to keep her cheerful mood at all times. Dropping her head a little she followed her husband to Tsunade's office. Coming to a halt in front of it she asked. "And how are we supposed to enter?"

"Hm?" it came from the man to her right. Having his arms crossed in front of his chest again and staring blankly at the door. He did not bother to move his head to look into her eyes.

"They know we are married, should we just walk in like that? I don't know anything about this Hokage, er, Kazekage stuff, or whatever." She had actually felt small next to him. He would always stand in a manner people would think of him as being powerful. Calm. He would just be calm. He rheart though was racing, close to brusting out of her chest. She was 15, and so was he. Yet he carried this duty and responsibility as though it was something he grew up with. For her, it was something new, and she would have to prove her strength against the elders. "Stop looking like a stuffed hamster already." her head dropped. Now she had actually caught his attention. The oh-so-stiff face had actually moved its muscles. A mix of astonishment and the old blankness had crept into his face.

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I hope you'll like this chapter. I plan to add slight hints of other couples too. Mostly focusing on this young marriage and Gaara's changes though. Please review.