Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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Hinata followed patiently behind. Gaara was gripping her arm tightly as they pushed through the crowd at the art gallery. Many people stared as the teens passed, mostly because most teens never set foot within reach of the front door.

Hinata was awed. She hadn't been to Wind's Time Art Gallery since early January. Much had changed, like the pieces as well as the faces. She whipped her head from side to side to get a look at the creations on the wall and stools, as Gaara pulled her to a particular spot. When he stopped, she ran into his back. She only came up to his shoulders.

He tilted his head like a curious puppy. Hinata shifted along the tile floor to see what he was looking at.

"Hey, Hinata! It's such a nice surprise to see you here!" Sakura Haruno yelled from a few feet in front of their faces. She was decked out in a blue denim mini-mini-skirt and a tight pink tank top with a crown on it.

Gaara was thinking along the lines of WTF? While Hinata was thinking I wonder why she is here?

Sakura started to rant. She was bored and her cousin had ditched her. She at least knew Hinata here and the boy next to her was a total hottie.

"Ugghhh, my cousin dragged me all the way out here and he ditched me. This place is as boring as dirt." Sakura inhaled and started talking faster than the wind could blow. "So Hi, Hinata, and who is this hottie? He was put against Neji right?"

Gaara glared at her. She was annoying the hell out of him. He had just gotten Hinata back and he wanted to enjoy every moment of it. So he tugged her arm, and dragged her away from the annoying loudmouth.

Sakura's jaw dropped. She whirled on her heel and stormed off, a blush of shame on her face. She went off in search of her cousin, Sasori.

Hinata was being dragged through the crowds by Gaara. He used to do it her all the time when she lived there.

When they reached the exhibit he wanted her to see, he really didn't feel like letting go of her hand. It was warm and soft. So he just kept holding it. He smirked when he saw her reaction to the sight in front of them. She almost dropped his hand in her excitement to get closer. He quickly held on.

Before them, was a painting. It was of the desert at night. The moonlight was striking the tops of the dunes while the wind was whipping the particles around. Hinata took in every detail of it. This was the type of art she would like to paint when she was out of collage-if her father ever let her.

Gaara saw the flicker of hope and then sadness cloud her eyes. He remembered she wanted to be an artist, but her father wouldn't hear it. She would have to take over after her father. Gaara had never met the man, but he already hated him.

"This is beautiful, Gaara," Hinata said, her voice full of warmth.

Gaara smirked. "Come, we have a lot of stuff we must do before the end of the day."

For the rest of the day, he led her around the gallery. Hinata was beaming, her smile filling Gaara with happiness that he wouldn't show. Instead he smirked and held her hand the entire time. Both were used to it. Back when they were munchkins, they held hand s a lot.

Sakura was still at the gallery as well. She spotted the friends. Her eyebrows nearly flew off her face, she was that surprised.

Shy little Hinata holding hands? Hmmm? I could use this information for my own good.

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Yeah I haven't been updating. Oh well. I'm real lazy. Please review. A good review is even better than a cookie.