Curiousity was a rare thing for the Kazekage.
Yet here he was, risking a potential threat entering their village because of one of them. He knew better, but he has never encountered an individual who so easily deflected the sands as this person did. He stood by the wide balcony from his office, staring at the bustling city before him.
He had made Kankuro go and see who they were, for the sand could only tell him so much. There were at least 20 of them, all light footed except for 1. All he could feel as they trudged on the sand. All except one. His chakra could sense this person but his sands, no matter how much he directed them, would never seem to get close. He crossed his hands over his chest- a little disturbed by this thought as his sands seemed to get agitated around him. This would pose a problem, if not handled carefully. He should be cautious, and curiousity should not get the better of him.
"Eyes on the coming group says they are all girls except for one who seemed to be their leader," a voice calls behind him. He could almost imagine the furrow of her brow, the distrust in her features and the way she leaned on the glass door no matter how many times he has told her not to. He holds back a sigh before turning to Temari, who was indeed leaning on the glass.
"We cannot risk provoking them by not welcoming them in," he explains and her frown deepens.
"What is the matter? Do they have some kind of weapon in their midst? What does the sands say?"
He knew she had every reason to worry but telling her would only cause her to worry all the more. This village depended on the sands that surrounded them. Depended on its strength and power. Now here comes this girl who cannot be touched by it. He stared at Temari now, long and hard before answering.
"There is...one among them that I am curious about," he tries to answer slowlyand when Temari's look of concern turned smug he knew he had said something wrong.
"Curious about a girl, huh?" she proceeded to tease, making Gaara realize the implication of what he just said. He couldn't help it. Heat rose up his neck, tainting his cheeks pink. Temari's smile widened finally pushing herself off the glass door.
"Never thought I wouls ever hear that from you," she continues, wiggling her eyebrows at him. Gaara lets out a sigh, wishing not to proceed any further in this conversation.
"You know that is not what I meant," he mumbles quietly, avoiding eye contact and Temari could not help but feel the sudden urge to envelope him in a hug. He was always so unaware of how adorable he was becausw of his cluelessness and innocence. She snickered. He was a Kazekage, respected and loved and yet here he was flustering over something she had implied.
"In the name of tailed beasts, Gaara," she says. "I never see you get flustered over anything more than the talk of girls."
Gaara's eyes turned to sliths as he walked pass her and into his office. Temari continued to laugh as she followed him and shut the door behind her before proceeding to take a sit on his desk. He held back another sigh.
"Really, Gaara," she continued. "The villages are at peace now, there is no need for you to lock yourself up in this room." She gestures around them. "You chose this life, yes and you have it. Don't you think it is time? I mean, I know it didn't work out that well with Matsuri-" she stops short, catching his glare before laughing nervously. Then there was a knock on the door, Temari lets out a sigh of relief as Kankuro walked in, a smile on his face.
"The leader, calls himself Eiichi, wishes to have an audience with the leader of the village," he explains. "says he wants to thank him for welcoming them during a heavy sand storm."
Temari watched Gaara who watched Kankuro who looked back and forth between them.
"Is it just me or were you guys about to have an argument?" he asked cheerily before Temari jumped off the table, gesturing for him to be silent as Gaara walked out of the room without another word.
"What did you do this time?" Kankuro asked when they were alone. Temari started acting nervous, scratching her head and looking apologetic.
"He kinda said something about being curious about one person in the group and I teased him and sort of ended up mentioning Matsuri..." she explains and Kankuro's light mood darkened slightly.
"You know how sensitive that topic is," he says and Temari lets out a huff.
"It's been years! Naruto and Hinata are already expecting their first child and he is still single-"
"And you and Shikamaru are next in line to get married and you're worried about Gaara but you shouldn't, I won't leave him," he assures her as they both walk out the office. Temari does not even look convinced.
"I can't trust you Kankuro, at least you know what the warmth of another persons toucn feels like-"
"Gaara does too," he cuts her off. "You know how hard it is for him to adjust. Something like love and friendship don't come as easily to him. He's trying..."
"I know," she groans out as they enter the room where the Kazekage usually met with people and found Gaara seated on his usual futon at the front. Kankuro walked over to the door where the guests waited on the other side, Temari on his heels.
"He's still a child in so many ways," she whispers now, glancing discreetly at Gaara who was in deep thought. Probably about what she had said. She felt a pang of guilt before Kankuro opened the wooden doors and she was met by a man, so tall, she almost stepped back before her eyes flicked over to the girls all lined up behind him. She felt her own heart flutter. She has never seen such a beautiful group.
"I don't think you should worry so much," Kankuro whispered back as he smiled at them and gestured for them to come inside. "Your answer might have just arrived with one of this girls."
4 guards stood outside the room while nine stayed inside, standing guard on each corner. Temari stood beside Gaara as Kankuro stood behind the guests. Gaara remaines silent and as Temari glanced at him, she noticed he was trying not to stare too long at the girl seated far behind. The girl whose eyes were wrapped. She felt a flutter of hope inside her chest before she began discreetly glancing at the girl. What had it been about her that made Gaara curious?
Just then, Eiichi stood up and bowed gratefully before Gaara. Temari instinctively held on to her weapon and noticed the blond girl lift her head up at the movement. She felt disturbed by it, for it seemed like she was looking at Temari herself directly.
"Thank you for welcoming us into your village," he says, smiling a charming smile. Temari let her guard down slightly. Gaara remained expressionless and there was that discreet glance again. Kankuro on the other hand seemed to be pre occupied staring at the girl beside the blind one. Occasionally whispering something in her ear. She was in fact beautiful, her hair a dark contrast to the blind ones. In fact, the blind girl had an unusual color of hair. Temari wondered why but directed her attention back the Eiichi who was now explaining why they had stumbled upon their village.
Gaara was not listening. He was trying to but the person- the girl , the sands refused to touch or sink was in front of him now. He had not expected her to be...blind. In fact, the way she moved seemed to further prove it. Perhaps she had just recently become blind? Perhaps this was a trap? He hated that thought. Her hair was unusual, for someone so young. It was pure white, like snow. Whiter than even that of Kakashi. She sat straight, her head faced towards him and gave him the weirdest feeling that she was watching him. That she was looking straight at him the way he was with her. Then again, could she even see?
He felt a soft hit on his right leg under the table and glanced at Temari who had hit him with her fan. He turned to Eiichi. He had not been listening. Kankuro seemed to have noticed Gaara's absent behaviour as well as he proceeded to take over.
"Ah, our Kazekage does not like to talk much forgive him but he would be delighted to watch your performance later tonight," Kankuro proceeds to explain and Gaara nodded slowly.
"Yes, please enjoy the pleasures our village can offer you," he clears his throat, throwing another glance at the white haired girl. "A feast will be held tonight for my good friend would be arriving with his wife. I am looking forward to your performance then."
He did not even know what performance it was but gave a thankful look at Kankuro who winked at him. Eiichi said a few more things before all of them walked out, the blind girl and her friend being the one to step out but before they could, Kankuro had stopped them by the door.
"What kind of performance would it be?" he asked the dark haired girl who giggled in response before leaning towards him as the blind girl stood awkwardly beside them.
"Hey you," Temari says and the blind girls head turned slightly as Temari walked over to her. "What is your name?"
The dark haired girl talking to Kankuro had stopped talking and turned to Temari. She was about to open her mouth to answer when she answered her first.
"Miyuki," she says, bowing slightly. "This is Kei." She gestured to the dark haired girl beside her and smiled.
"Ah," Temari nodded before introducing herself. "My name is Temari."
Miyuki nodded before turning slightly to face Gaara. She waited a moment before they realized she was waiting for a name.
"Has he left?" She asked innocently before a new voice spoke. It was soft and husky, like a voice someone would use behind the privacy of their bedroom.
"Gaara."
Miyuki etched that voice into memory. She needed to, to get this job done.
"Kazekage Gaara," Kei proceeded to say. "You are much younger than we thought... most of the girls in our group are probably talking about you now." She explained sheepishly. Miyuki wished she could take the blindfold off and see. Curiousity had always been a bad thing. She heard Temari laugh.
"Well, he is single mind you-" Temari says and both Kei and her snicker.
"I'll tell the girls," Kei said cheerfully before asking Kankuro to lead the way for they did not know where they would be staying. Kankuro happily agreed and the three of them left, leaving Temari and Gaara alone.
"Miyuki, huh?" Temari asked.
" Well, perhaps her name is because of the color of her hair," she says after a thought. Gaara remained silent.
"What is it Gaara, what are you not telling me?" She asked him, leaning on the table, trying to gauge out an answer. It was still almost impossible for her to read him. For anyone to read him for that matter.
"I'm just... curious," he answers, playing with a swirl of sand.