I'm so sorry for the overdue update! I wrote this for all those people who left a review, letting me know they are still faithfully waiting, and I thank you for helping me gain motivation to keep working on this story. I tried to make this chapter extra long as an apology to all of you have waited so long, and I'm already half-done with the next chapter, so it won't take as long as this one.
It's been a while, so here's a recap of what has happened so far in the story so you won't have to reread it all over again:
Lucine, a very stoic 12 year-old girl that rarely expresses strong emotions, has lived with Sasuke for years. She was adopted into the Uchiha family, and after the Uchiha massacre, she continued living with Sasuke. Over time he developed an unhealthy obsession and dependency on her. She has had to live with his possessive and overly-affectionate ways, with things only worsening after graduation. They are both placed in Team 7, and Sasuke finds it challenging to protect Lucine, where she is several times placed in dangerous situations, and he believes he's not strong enough to protect her.
In the chunin exams they encountered Gaara, who also developed a liking for Lucine. Yet nothing happened out of this, as he is from another village, but it was still enough to shake up Sasuke's and Lucine's relationship. Sasuke left the village in pursuit for power with the goal to protect Lucine and also to kill his brother Itachi, despite Lucine's attempt to stop him. Lucine used some type of summoning jutsu that Itachi had given her right after the massacre to communicate with him to summon him, and it is then revealed that Lucine has a past with Itachi. When they were children, they were to be engaged, an arrangement made by Mikoto and Fugaku (Sasuke is not aware of this fact). Lucine asked Itachi to retrieve Sasuke, but as this would be pointless since he would most likely try to leave again, they decided instead that Itachi would keep watch on Sasuke, to keep herself updated on what he does. In return, Lucine would be in a relationship with Itachi, implying that she might have some sort of feelings for him.
A timeskip later, Lucine is now 16, and over time she has grown closer to Naruto, and also Itachi. Itachi regularly visits her and updates her with news on Sasuke.
Recently in the story, Lucine was summoned by the Kazekage, Gaara, himself. However, on the trip to Suna she is abducted by Sasuke. She learns that his sanity had only worsened by the time spent away from her, and he fully intended to keep her with him, and make her his in every way. He didn't get to do this though, since Itachi (and his partner Kisame) came to the rescue, thus revealing to Sasuke that Lucine and Itachi are connected somehow.
Lucine went to Suna, only to discover that Gaara still harbors feelings for her, since he unexpectedly kissed her and proposed to her. She tells him they can't marry since they don't know each other, to which Gaara persuades her to live with him in Suna for a couple of weeks to get to know each other. That same day during the night, she is visited by Itachi, who also had proposed to her and insists that they marry through an ancient Uchiha blood bond, which will unable Sasuke, or any other man, to touch her. He also confesses that he has a dangerous illness that will eventually kill him and he refuses to seek treatment, thinking he deserves to die. This greatly upsets Lucine, and she threatens to marry Gaara if he doesn't get his illness treated, which angers Itachi, but he is seemingly convinced. And so it continues.
Sabaku no Gaara
It had never occurred to me to ask Lucine whether she was an early riser or if she preferred to sleep in. For some reason I expected her to be the type to wake up before the sun was even up, yet here I found myself in the kitchen drinking my third cup of coffee while it was almost noon. And I couldn't be happier. Just having her under the same roof as me is more than enough. It was unexpected (although it is typical of her to be unpredictable) that she likes to sleep in, yet that made her so much more endearing. It was... cute, my mind filled in, not accustomed to using that word, yet it described my future bride perfectly.
So many thoughts ran through my head of what this might mean. The fact that she feels comfortable to sleep in must mean something right? But even so, I can't help but miss her, while I'd happily let her sleep all day, she would get hungry and she needs to eat. That's why I prepared breakfast for her. While I was by no means a cook, and especially not anywhere close to her level, the thought of waking her up with breakfast in bed is quite thrilling.
Which is why I was making my way to her room, a tray with a bowl of sliced fruit and a sandwich, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. I put in a vast amount of effort in this simple meal, much more than I ever have. Even making sure the apple slices were symmetrically cut in equally big slices to make it more aesthetic. For some reason, I felt nervous, a completely foreign and strange emotion. I can't remember the last time I felt this way. Perhaps the closest I've been to nervous was during my first few days as kazekage, wanting to meet the expectations of my people and the elders. But I felt like those two emotions couldn't be compared. The situation felt way different now.
As I stood in front of her door, my nerves were replaced by something else entirely. What would she be wearing? I was surprised that was where my mind went first, and felt my heart start to speed up its rate, but for an entirely different reason. Maybe she won't be wearing anything? My throat went dry at the thought. I recalled the time in the chunin exams, when I invaded her room in the middle of the night, the night where she had, albeit not completely intentionally, helped me realize my feelings for her. At that time she was only wearing a short nightgown, and while it didn't cover much, it was still relatively modest and preserved her innocence. But for her to wear the same thing now, with her matured body... I let out a shaky breath, trying to gather my thoughts, not wanting to enter her room and have her wake up to my raging erection. After all, I wanted so much from her than just her body, I don't want to give her the wrong idea. Temari had told me how important it was that I express this properly as well, that I explain her value extends way beyond that, and my affection is far from solely based on carnal pleasure.
Now calmed down, I knocked on the door, just to check if she was already awake. When I got no answer, I took it as my cue to enter, opening the door as quietly as possible while balancing the tray with my other hand. Much to my surprise, there was no one in the bedroom. The bed was empty and immaculately made up, with no sign of Lucine. If it hadn't been for her bag resting by the bed, I would have thought that she had left. But then where is she? I thought, and my first idea was the private bathroom connected to her room.
My breath hitched as I realized what she might be doing. At this point I knew I should have retreated and waited for her in the kitchen, but the sound of low rustling in the bathroom made me stay in place. I glanced at the door that leads out of the bedroom, and then back to the partly open bathroom door. My chakra had already been unconsciously concealed, and my decision had been made. Guiltily, I silently placed the tray of food on the desk and sauntered just as silently to the bathroom door. Carefully and quietly nudging the door open further, I peeked inside.
Lucine was with her back to me, in the process of taking off her shirt. As she did, her hair tumbled gracefully down her back. Her back was now exposed and my breath hitched at the sight of her smooth skin, just begging to be touched and worshipped. Lucine then started stripping off the rest of her clothes, and there was something so painfully slow about her actions I wanted to barge in and do it for her myself, my cover be damned. Have I always been such a pervert?
I remember back to my time in Konoha, when Lucine had initially caught my interest. Even then, my behavior was abnormal. I would sneak into the compound she was living in, and watch her through the window as she slept, sometimes I would enter her room when it was empty. It was a miracle that I was never caught. Never did I even think of invading her privacy when she was indecent, though... clearly, that was a boundary I was shamefully willing to cross now.
By now she was completely bare. I felt all the blood rush down to my groin as I saw her ass. If only she could turn around, I thought greedily, not even considering that my cover would be blown if she did. All rational thought was thrown out the window at the sight of her body. Gritting my teeth, I let my eyes take in every inch, from her slim shoulders, the curve of her back, her narrow waist, the roundness of her hips, her supple thighs, her firm calves, her smooth feet... How could someone be this beautiful? I thought desperately, gripping the doorframe tightly to stop myself from marching to her side and show her exactly how much I appreciated the sight of her.
"Are you enjoying yourself, Kazekage-sama?" she said suddenly, and the blood in my veins turned to ice. She was looking over her shoulder at me with a blank look, and had I been any less mortified and embarrassed at being caught like this I would've noticed the amusement in her eyes.
"I-..." I gaped like a fish, further humiliating myself, not knowing how to respond to the situation, being caught red handed like this.
"Did you really think I didn't know you were watching this whole time? Don't underestimate me, Kazekage-sama. I'm a kunoichi, I already sensed your chakra move from when you left the kitchen." She explained as she turned towards the showers, fluffing out her hair casually, and guiltily I looked at her ass again. I am lower than scum.
Gulping, I forced myself to look away, yet my feet were glued to the floor and I couldn't bring myself to apologize and walk right out as I should. Instead I was bound there by some hidden force, further cementing my state as scum.
"Well," she continued, "You're welcome to leave, Kazekage-sama."
Her speaking again caught me off guard, and I made the mistake to look up. Lucine was now completely facing me, as bare as the day she was born. All oxygen had left my lungs at this point and I was unabashedly ogling her now, and I knew she knew, yet I couldn't stop, she was just too beautiful. Every inch of her was perfect, and nothing I had ever laid eyes upon could compare to the sight of her bare body.
I heard her sigh, and the action brought my attention back to her golden eyes. I was wrong. While her nakedness was glorious, her eyes like sweet honey were even more fascinating, especially when they twinkled with amusement and laughter. "Do I need to repeat myself, Kazekage-sama?"
"I-... yes, I'll-" I stuttered, now suddenly struggling to keep my eyes away from her breasts. Her nipples were exposed to the slightly chilly air, and it had made them erect, much like another part of my own body.
Lucine was suddenly walking, and in a few short steps she stood before me. "Gaara?" she asked quietly, looking up at me innocently, and I genuinely thought I would faint in that moment. She's even more magnificent up close.
"Yes?" I breathed, finding myself very out of breath, and she was now stepping closer to me, to the point where her breasts were slightly pressed up against my clothed chest and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her till she couldn't breathe.
Lucine placed both of her hands on my shoulders and leaned forward, I thought she was going to kiss me, which was why I had already closed my eyes, but instead I felt her warm cheek against my own as her lips barely brushed my ear, "I said leave."
Before I could process what she had said, she had forcefully pushed me backwards, and I stumbled clumsily, nearly toppling over. Quickly catching my balance, I looked up just in time to see the door slamming shut, followed by the click of a lock.
Kudozaki Lucine
Perhaps if Sasuke hadn't already seen me naked all those days ago, then maybe I would have cared more about Gaara creeping on me. For whatever reason, I couldn't bring myself to care. Teasing him was mildly amusing though. He was almost as red as his hair when I caught him, and I could see the effect I had on him. Is seeing a naked woman truly that interesting? I tried to imagine seeing a naked man. I have never seen any naked men, at least not fully. I've seen Naruto shirtless a number of times, Itachi as well, and I had seen Sasuke as a child when we would sometimes bathe together, but that didn't count. But then again, I did see him completely bare a couple of days ago when he-... feeling irritated by the memory, I immediately dismissed a naked Sasuke out of my mind.
Instead I replaced it with a far more agreeable subject. Gaara. He's a shinobi and therefore well built, and even with clothes I can tell he is strong and chiseled, and he is very handsome... it would surely be a pleasant sight. I wouldn't mind seeing him naked, I decided mentally in bemusement. While I had never been the type to care about this kind of stuff, I couldn't deny my curiosity, due to how unfamiliar the topic was to me. I'm sure he wouldn't oppose if I asked him to-
Wait, where is my mind going? I thought in slight surprise, unused to my own pervertedness. This isn't the first time either... I was ready to give up my virginity as soon as Itachi rescued me from Sasuke. What has Sasuke done to me? It all comes down to him in the end. I told myself it's Sasuke's fault, for tainting my thoughts like this. It must be me unconsciously wanting to spite him.
Now freshly showered, I changed into a clean change of clothes, and was just about to go to the kitchen and prepare breakfast, or rather lunch. The sun was way up, and even though I had slept longer than I normally do, I still felt tired. That damned Itachi, disturbing my peaceful sleep with his needless wish to play the selfish martyr. Just thinking about our conversation last night was enough to sour my mood again.
I was surprised to see Gaara by the kitchen table, a tray of breakfast resting upon it. Well, that is a pleasant surprise. Sandwich, fruit and juice. Simple, but the gesture is still quite nice. It has been a long while since anyone has cooked for me. It's not like this upsets me, since I can't trust anyone's cooking skills except my own, but I do appreciate the effort the Kazekage put in for this. Moving my eyes back to said man, I saw how he looked ashamed and mortified, probably still thinking about the incident from just now. I watched in amusement, my sour mood fading slightly. I observed how he shifted uncomfortably on his feet. This is kind of entertaining, maybe I can tease him a little bit?
"Lucine, I am so sorry, I have no idea what came over me. Please forgive me for disrespecting you and-"
"You never answered my question." I interrupted nonchalantly.
He halted for a second, looking confusedly into my eyes. "What question?"
"If you were enjoying yourself."
He gulped and was quiet for a couple of seconds. "Well, yes." he replied honestly, but seemed unsure of my purpose of asking that question.
I hummed dismissively, and then moved to sit by the kitchen table, to eat my breakfast. I could sense his eyes burning into the side of my head, but I refused to return the gaze, letting him dwell himself. He makes this too easy, he's so fun, I thought as I chewed on the sandwich he had made.
"Not bad." I complimented, indulging in the simple but still quite good breakfast he had made. This might be the first time I have genuinely enjoyed someone else's food since Mikoto's death. I remember the first year after the massacre, neither I nor Sasuke knew how to cook, and it took me two full years before I learned to make anything that could be called delicious. Shortly after that, no one else's cuisine was appetizing. However, Gaara must have put a lot of thought into this sandwich. He had cut the crust, which I personally deem unnecessary, but still shows the thought he puts into his cooking. All the ingredients, to the tomato, the lettuce, the pickles and the cheese and the ham, are layered perfectly, in a way that you get a piece of every ingredient in every bite. Then there's the bowl of fruit, they were fresh and cut into perfect, symmetrical slices, and placed in a way that makes it aesthetically pleasing to the eye. He even went as far as to squeeze the oranges himself to make the juice, a measure not many would bother with. Cooking is a skill and a talent, and it is clear he has the dedication for it. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama."
He straightened and cleared his throat, snapping out of his reverie, "I don't expect it to meet your standards, but I hope it will stave off your hunger." he said softly, taking a seat across from me. It was quiet for a while, his ears still a bit red. "I already ate, in case you were wondering." he mumbled, trying not to seem nervous. It was almost cute.
I tilted my head as I watched him. "What's the plan for today, Kazekage-sama?"
"Today I thought I'd show you around the village and... well, I am not experienced with dates, but I've been told that it is normal for couples to take walks in the park, go for a coffee, or watch a movie. Would you be interested in either of those things?"
"No." I answered calmly, biting into the sandwich again. Mm, the pickles here are quite good, I thought, savoring the flavor.
"...No?" Gaara seemed lost and genuinely surprised at my response, but not disappointed.
"After you show me around the village, we will go to the grocery store, and I will teach you how to cook. Even though this is only a sandwich and some fruit, I can see your potential. The taste is mediocre, but the execution shows your devotion and care. With my guidance, you can achieve greatness. You are the only one who has come anywhere close to meeting my standards, and thus, I have decided to take you in as my apprentice." I declared, finishing the sandwich.
Sabaku no Gaara
Well, that was unexpected, was my first thought, and I found it summarized what had initially made me fall in love with her.
The more time I spent with Lucine, the more I was reminded of just why I was so drawn to her. She was unpredictable and unusual in every way, I never knew how she was going to react to things. I thought she would be furious at me and of my disgraceful behavior when I invaded her privacy like that, instead she was teasing me for it, and seemingly enjoying my discomfort.
And now, she wants me to be her apprentice, even though I am the Kazekage. I could think of no other person who would act this way, and the way her honey eyes calmly looked into mine, like she was making a serious declaration and was waiting for my response, I couldn't help but feel my body rise in temperature, my heart thudding strongly against my ribcage. She really is the most perfect woman for me, I thought, and felt momentarily overwhelmed by the amount of affection and love I harbored for this odd, strange woman sitting in front of me.
"Would I be your first apprentice?" I asked, eyeing her hopefully. She nodded, looking unbothered by such a strong suggestion, seemingly unaware of my emotional turmoil. Lucine picked me, not Sasuke, not anyone else, but me. And it's only her second day with me. I felt like I was receiving a divine blessing by a goddess. However, she complimented me on my devotion and care of handling her breakfast, and while the only reason I put in extra effort was because I knew it was for Lucine. She seemed to be under the impression that I put in the same kind of effort in every meal, which couldn't be further from the truth. But nonetheless, she didn't need to know of that particular detail. Lucine still picked me, and I will work hard to earn her praise and maintain her good opinion of me, if that's what it takes for her to accept my proposal.
Wanting to properly express my gratitude, I walked to her side, and knelt by her side, cupping her hand with both my hands. Not being able to help it, I smiled genuinely at her. Lucine looked a bit startled at my sudden movement, since she raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I am honored that you would pick me, my love. I am unworthy of such a position, but I will selfishly accept your generous suggestion anyway. Please educate me, master."
Lucine eyed me in silence, and I could see the amusement in her eyes, which warmed my heart. My heart could have exploded when she snorted suddenly, and her lips twisted into some sort of laugh. This is the first time I've seen her make that type of expression, and it was truly the most exquisite sight to behold, and my grip on her hand tightened. "So formal. Master, huh? I think I'd rather you call me 'my love.'"
"As you wish, my love."
She snorted again, which made my heart flutter. "I wasn't-" she halted, sighing, "Nevermind. You're very odd, Kazekage-sama." She placed her other hand on top of mine, which made me smile again. "And don't call yourself unworthy, that is an insult to my ability of choosing apprentices."
"I wouldn't dare insult you." I countered quickly, the idea itself outrageous.
"Yeah, yeah. Now let go, I still haven't finished the breakfast." she pushed me hands away, and resumed her task.
After showing her around the village, we went to the shop to get the necessary groceries. "Salted tongue and gizzard? I knew it, you have exquisite taste. As expected of my apprentice." Lucine seemed pleased with my answer of what my favorite food is, which made me bask in her praise. "Today, I'll teach you how to make a very simple dish, baked tonkatsu. The good thing about this dish," I watched how she picked out the tonkatsu sauce, as she kept explaining, "Is that it doesn't require deep frying to achieve that nice, crispy texture. It can be oven baked and turn out equally as delicious."
"I see." I nodded enthusiastically, hanging onto every word she said. While this was not how I expected we'd spend our time together, I fully intended to take this apprenticeship seriously. "If I remember correctly, this recipe requires panko (japanese breadcrumbs)?" I said and reached for a pack, only for my hand to be slapped away. Surprised by the sudden act of violence, I looked at her in confusion.
She was giving me a scolding look. "Picking out ingredients is an essential part of the process. Even the most minimal ingredient can have the most substantial effect on how your dish turns out. Consult me before you pick anything."
We heard some laughing from behind us, which made me look over my shoulder. It was an old civilian couple, giving us an amused, warm look. "It's nice to see even the Kazekage himself has to submit to his lady." said the old man, chuckling heartily. My face reddened, understanding how they were perceiving us. However, I made no move to correct their misconception, since for now, for the duration of her stay here, Lucine was technically my lady.
The old lady smiled when she noticed how flustered I was getting, and looked up at her lover, "Oh, to be young again. Remember, darling? This used to be us, you and I both knew who was in command in the relationship since the beginning." she giggled mischievously.
The husband had a wrinkled smile as he looked down at his beloved, "I wouldn't have it any other way, sweetheart." The look they were giving each other was filled with what could only be described as adulation, the love and affection they held for each other was palpable. In that moment, I was envious. I would do anything, give up anything, just to have that with Lucine. I looked down at her, just to see her already looking up at me stoically. I hoped to one day change that look to warmth and acceptance. One day, that will be us.
"Have a good day both of you, Kazekage-sama." they bid farewell, winking at me, and kept walking. I was blushing again as I looked back at Lucine, and she seemed to already be focusing on the task at hand.
"As I was saying, you were about to reach out for the plain panko. This dish is complemented by honey panko, for it will give its sweet but savory flavor to it. Do you understand?" she said, and picked out the package of honey panko.
I straightened my back, "Yes, my bad. It was completely preposterous and vain of me to presume I know better than your ladyship."
She was giving me a smirk again, which made my heart flutter. "While your courtesies are endearing, there's no need for you to be so formal with me, Kazekage-sama. The point of this is for us to get comfortable with each other, right?"
"Yes, Lucine. I will be less formal, but in return, you can call me by my name?" I asked hopefully, longing to hear my name from her sweet lips.
This time she snorted again, letting out a low laugh, and it set my heart ablaze, my eyes hazing over at the melodic sound. This time she actually laughed. Is she warming up to me? "You're sneaky. But yes, I suppose I can agree to that, Gaara." If we weren't so out in the public, I would have kissed her right then, begging to hear her say my name so sensually again and again. How could one woman be so alluring, bewitching me with her every word. Every little thing she does ensnares and captivates me.
The actual cooking was almost a disaster, if Lucine hadn't intervened. Somehow, I had managed to burn the panko twice, and only barely managed to avoid this the third time with Lucine's guidance. When I had to beat the pork with the meat pounder, I used to much strength and crushed the cutting board in half as well as cracking the kitchen table, the meat going everywhere and splattering my apron and my face, some of it going to my hair. How was I supposed to know that I wasn't supposed to use that much force? I didn't even use chakra. The only thing that went smoothly was preparing the sesame tonkatsu sauce, it was even an enjoyable process.
When I finally managed to get the meat right and properly seasoned with spices and the fried panko, it was time to put in the oven. However, since I was too distracted looking at Lucine making onigiri to go with the tonkatsu, I forgot the time, and the meat was way overcooked, the crust so burnt it was almost ash. There was no way it was edible anymore.
I was immensely disappointed at my failed attempt, and I expected Lucine to respond with her usual stoic and cold look, shaking her head disapprovingly. However, I was surprised to see her still giving me an entertained look, picking out a stray piece of meat from my hair. "If I knew having an apprentice was this much fun, I would have gotten one sooner." I looked up at her hopefully, holding the plate of burnt, inedible tonkatsu in my hands. Could it be she will give me one more chance to make up for this? "You're truly terrible at this, even more so than I could have ever expected." she continued bluntly, and my smile fell. "But don't worry, I will make you the best chef in the village." Again, I smiled hopefully. If I had a tail, it would be wagging.
We had onigiri with sesame tonkatsu sauce for dinner that evening.
For breakfast the next day, she had gotten up early and taught me how to make melon pan, and it surprisingly turned out edible, with not a half-bad taste. I had also managed to convince her to take walk through the park and feed the ducks by the pond with me, as a date, with the condition that she bake the bread to feed the ducks with. So we spent a good portion of the day baking bread, making way more than necessary, but Lucine insisted it was better to have too much rather than to little, in order to feed all the ducks.
The walk in the park was relatively uneventful, but we did get stopped a couple of times by some civilians and shinobi greeting us and giving Lucine curious looks. My favorite part of the day was watching Lucine's pleased look as she feed the ducks crumbs of her freshly baked bread, and watching how most of the ducks flocked to us instead of the other couples feeding the ducks. "As expected, these ducks have the most impeccable taste. Even their inferior tastebuds can detect the superiority of our bread, rather than the lazy, amateur, store-bought bread they're used to." she looked quite self-satisfied, smirking smugly to herself as the ducks hastily swarmed to our side of the bridge. I couldn't help but laugh, enjoying how she took such a simple task so seriously.
Since she was so focused on feeding the hungry animals, I couldn't help but try to take advantage of the situation. Slowly, I reached out an arm around her waist, and pulled her closer to my side. Other than adjusting herself to a more comfortable position, she gave no other response, instead grabbing a handful of more crumbs to feed another flock of ducks that had swarmed to our side, smirking at their delighted quacks. I smiled contently, enjoying this peaceful, domestic moment, actually having Lucine in my arms.
Since we had made so much bread and had a lot left, we decided we would go back the next day in the morning to feed them the rest of it. We also went the day after, and soon it became an unspoken tradition to feed the ducks every morning after breakfast.
When it was time for me to go back to work, it was a surprisingly sad event. At least on my part. Lucine had surprisingly woken up extra early, to make me breakfast, which I helped with. She made omurice, a simple recipe, and she told me that for tomorrow's breakfast I'd have to make the same dish myself. I was a bit disheartened eating breakfast with her that morning despite the heavenly taste, knowing I would have to leave and be away from her for most of the day. It had only been three days, but I had gotten used to our routine. We couldn't even go to feed the ducks.
"Stop sulking, idiot. We can go feed the ducks when you return. They'll be awaiting our presence, and we cannot disappoint our most faithful costumers, even with your packed schedule." she suddenly said, her voice nonchalant and emotionless, as if she had read my mind. I smiled warmly, knowing that this was her way of cheering me up. She might act cold most of the time, but there is a warm side to her. How many layers are there to this woman?
When she bid me goodbye by the door, the situation reminded me off a housewife kissing her husband goodbye before he went to work. Feeling bold, I asked her for a kiss, but she slammed the door in my face, sadly.
Working on papers and dull meetings with the council was especially dreadful when I knew my sweet beloved was at home waiting for me. What is she doing right now to occupy herself? Probably cooking. I thought, and looked out the window, lost in thoughts. I hope she's not bored. Suddenly feeling anxious at the thought, I sighed heavily, not wanting her to associate her time spent in Suna with boredom.
"You're sulking again?" that familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and my eyes quickly moved to the door. There she stood, my beautiful Lucine, looking at me with an unreadable look. I gaped at her, momentarily stunned into silence. She scoffed, "You really can't function without me, you're like a puppy."
"Lucine, you're here." I stated lamely, standing up from my seat to make my way to her side, overcome with inexplicable joy and elation at her sudden presence. It had only been a few hours, but I already missed her tremendously. I reached out my arms to pull her into a hug, but she dodged me smoothly and moved to sit on my office desk, much to my disappointment. Still, I smiled and followed her eagerly, standing in front of her. "Were you bored? Is this why you're here? Or perhaps you missed me?"
Lucine just gave me an aloof look, not even humoring the thought, "Don't flatter yourself. Obviously, I came to bring your bento."
"My bento?" I repeated in confusion, not expecting that answer. Correspondingly, she held up a hand her hand to flash said bento, a box wrapped neatly in a red cloth. Surprised once again, I questioned in disbelief. "You made a bento? For me?"
"You're clearly insufficient in caring for yourself. You left without a bento, knowing you'll be here until the evening. Unless you intended to eat whatever mediocre meal they provide here, which I hope is untrue for it would be an insult to my skill. While I am here, no other food will enter your mouth unless it's made by my own hand." she declared possessively. "Or your own, I suppose since you're my apprentice." she continued, seemingly unaware of how my eyes stayed glued on the bento, my emotions in completely disarray at her actions.
Lucine had come all this way, after preparing a bento especially made for me. Without me asking for it. For some reason, I felt strangely emotional, my eyes oddly wet. No one had ever cared for me to this extent... not since Yashamaru. I looked at Lucine, truly looked at her, as if I was seeing her for the first time. This indifferent, cold woman, who reminded me so often of myself, was warm, and kind and thoughtful, and in the most unexpected way. She just had her own way of expressing it.
Impatiently, she nudged me with the bento, expecting me to grasp it. Instead, I held on to her wrist, and looked into her honey-colored eyes who were looking at me with cautious confusion. How on earth can someone like her be real?
"I love you, Lucine." I hadn't intended to say it out loud, but somehow the word had just slipped. It felt natural to say it then, for it was nothing but the absolute truth. I loved this woman more than I had loved anything in my entire life, and if I wasn't determined to make her my bride before, I was now.
The response was as unexpected to Lucine as it was to me, as her eyes had widened slightly, her lips tightening. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was blushing, but the expression was only there for a split second, leaving me to think I must've imagined it. She slapped my hand away, and shoved the bento to my chest, forcing me to grab it with both hands. She huffed, "What's with this sappy attitude all of sudden? Just grab your bento so I can leave."
That evening after work, I returned to a home with dinner already served, and an impatient, beautiful woman waiting for me. After cleaning up, we went to feed the ducks, who were eagerly waiting for us just as Lucine had predicted.
It won't last long I'm afraid, but here you get a relatively fluffy chapter, for once. Excluding the beginning, of course. It seems that Gaara is not as innocent as it seems. By now, the only truly innocent suitor for Lucine is Naruto, that cinnamon bun.