I do not Naruto or Tokyo Mew Mew
A day later, Gaara decided to find out more about the feelings he had. He felt the need to know what he was feeling, and why. So, around lunch time, he went to find Ichigo. He found her walking in the village with Naruto. He remembered Naruto. He was the boy who had told him about friends, purpose and having strength to go on. Ichigo seemed to be much happier than before and was smiling brightly with him. Gaara felt a pang of jealousy. He hopped down from the rooftop from which he had been observing and landed in front of the two.
Naruto and Ichigo stopped walking.
"Oi, Gaara!" Naruto grinned. "How's it goin'?"
"Gaara-kun," Ichigo smiled.
"You know him?" Naruto asked Ichigo.
"Yeah--"
"Ichigo-san," Gaara interrupted.
"Yes?" Ichigo looked at him.
"Do you want to come with me to see something later?"
"See something? Is it something nice, nya?"
"What you just asked was weird," Naruto said, flatly, to Ichigo.
Ichigo glared.
"I suppose you could call it 'nice.'" Gaara replied, simply.
"Okay, nya!" Ichigo smiled. "How about at seven?"
Gaara nodded, "I'll pick you up later, Ichigo-san." With this, he left.
Later that night, around 6:30 p.m., Gaara was packing some strawberries into a bento.
Kankuro was passing through the kitchen. He stopped short.
"Why are you packing strawberries?" Kankuro asked.
"They're for Ichigo-san," Gaara replied, nonchalantly.
"Ichigo-san?"
"That's a girl name," Temari appeared in front of them.
Kankuro and Gaara stared at her.
"It is," Temari said.
"Yes," Gaara replied.
"So you're taking strawberries to a girl?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Temari looked at him incredulously. "Just, 'yes?'"
"I don't think Gaara is one to get nervous," Kankuro explained.
"Why would I be nervous?" Gaara asked.
"Don't you like this girl?" Temari asked.
"Yes, why?"
"Giving something to a girl is an act of affection."
"Not always, Temari," Kankuro said.
"Mostly."
Now Kankuro and Temari launched into a debate.
Gaara picked up the bento, now full of strawberries, and left before his two siblings could notice. On the way to pick up Ichigo, he pondered Temari's words. Giving something to a girl was a sign of affection? Was it true? If so, Gaara decided he shouldn't give them to her until he felt it was the right time.
When he reached Ichigo's inn, she was already in front of the building. She smiled brightly when she saw him and ran out to meet him.
"Gaara-kun!" she chirped.
When she called him, Gaara instantly felt warmth in his heart. Her smile, her voice, everything about her, captivated him.
He smiled back at her.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked.
"Yes," Ichigo said.
So Gaara took her warm, little hand in his own and led Ichigo to a high hill, on the outskirts of town.
Ichigo looked out at the view. The soft glow of the lights of Sunagakure was beautiful.
"It pretty here," Ichigo said. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"
"No," Gaara replied. "Look up."
Ichigo obeyed and looked up at the sky. Millions of stars twinkled above. It was extremely clear and easy to see them from where they were.
"They're so bright," Ichigo smiled.
"Keep looking," Gaara said.
A few seconds later, meteorites streamed across the sky. It was a meteor shower.
Ichigo's eyes widened.
"Sugoi!" she said in amazement and delight.
Ichigo's eyes twinkled with excitement and happiness. Gaara thought her eyes were far more beautiful than the stars and meteor shower. Just seeing her happy gave him a feeling that he had never experienced before. Love, perhaps? He thought about the strawberries. He was pretty sure he was supposed to express his feelings to her.
He put the bento in her hands.
"What's this?" Ichigo studied the small bento box.
"Open it," Gaara replied.
Ichigo did, and the sweet smell of ripe strawberries filled the air.
"Strawberries!" Ichigo smiled. "Like me!"
She giggled and Gaara couldn't help but smile at her.
"Thank you, Gaara-kun," She popped a strawberry in her mouth. "They're sweet, nya."
"You're welcome," Gaara replied.
"I'm glad you invited me out today, Gaara. I'll never forget this."
She hugged him.
Gaara wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
He would never forget this either. Standing there, with his arms around her, he didn't want anything to happen to her. He wanted nothing but for her happy. He knew he would do anything to make that happen.
Thanks for reading, everyone! Please keep coming back for more! A bento, for those who don't know, is a Japanese lunch box. They are just plastic containers, sometimes with different compartments. Sometimes they feature popular characters on them, such as Hello Kitty, Gloomy Bear and Pucca. :)
~Katsuki Shizenno