When Shikamaru and Temari returned to the square arm-in-arm, Chouji blocked their way.
"Hey Chouji," said Shikamaru with a faint smile. "I have to get to Kakashi-sensei now - Ow!"
Shikamaru smashed to the ground, a hand to his jaw. Chouji had floored him with a left cross. Temari looked aghast at both of them.
"Chouji, are you insane? What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, stepping in between her prone fiancé and his best friend.
Pushing Temari aside, Chouji snarled at Shikamaru. "How did she find out, Shikamaru?"
The shadow jounin brushed the blood from his torn lip. He looked up at the thickset chuunin and sighed. "She saw us. She threatened Temari – actually, they threatened each other – and she... well she freaked."
"That part I saw. She left here fifteen minutes ago. In tears. Ino was weeping because of you two."
"She performed Shintenshin no jutsu on Temari, Chouji." Shikamaru slouched. "Then I lost my temper."
"No wonder she refused to speak to me – gods, Shikamaru, why weren't you be more circumspect about this? You could've let me hinted to her before you -" Chouji hissed out a breath. "Ah, hells..." He extended a hand to Shikamaru and hauled him to his feet. The two guys looked awkwardly at each other. Temari watched them for a long moment. Just when she was about to comment, they gave each other a hug.
"I didn't say I proposed, but, good guess." Shikamaru massaged his sore jaw. "That hurt, man."
"I went easy on you. You can't announce a thing with a broken jaw," said Chouji as he grinned at Temari. "Congrats, you two. Oh don't worry. Ino'd come around. Eventually."
Temari's mouth was agape, eyebrows raised. "I don't get guy relationships."
-----
Naruto and Sakura strolled back to the dance square, where people were still mingling and chatting. They saw Gaara, Kakashi and Shikamaru in a conversation, and Temari was nearby, blushing as Tsunade whispered something into her ear.
"Oh dear," muttered Sakura. She looked about her, searching for a familiar figure. "Naruto, do you see Ino anywhere?"
Naruto craned his neck and peered through the crowd. "Nope. What's up?"
"Ino mustn't see Shikamaru and Temari together. Quick! Use clones if you have to!"
"But why can't she see them together if they're, y'know, together?"
"Because -" Sakura caught herself. Why can't Ino see them together? "She'd go ballistic."
Naruto rubbed his nose. "But she's his friend, so shouldn't she be happy for him?"
Sakura half-sighed, half-shrugged. She didn't know why either, but somehow she felt it was best to keep Ino in the dark until the situation was definite.
Someone came up behind them both. "Hey guys."
"Chouji! Did you see Ino?"
Chouji looked at the concern Sakura had and folded his arms behind his back. Gently bouncing on his heels, he said, "Ino found out. She kind of needs space now."
"Is she alright?"
"She ought to be," said Chouji. "Ino gets over things once she accepts that the outcome is settled. I just hope she'd get over this asap."
"Yeah." Sakura glanced at Temari and Shikamaru sharing a private joke. They really are compatible, she thought, even though she is older than him.
"You should go over and congratulate them," urged Chouji. "He actually took the initiative this time round."
"Initiative for what?"
"Go find out."
-----
Gaara gently but firmly disengaged himself from the attentions of a new Suna chuunin. Kankurou had dubbed the girls "Gaara's sandclub", but the Kazekage found them tediously persistent in being around him. He had accepted the news from Shikamaru and his sister warmly, and had been rather amused when Shikamaru turned flustered as Gaara called him 'brother'.
"I-I'm not doing this to, y'know, become more -" he had blustered.
"We know," Kankurou had said. "On the other hand, if you can tame our sister, you can take Gaara's job."
Temari had elbowed her brother in the ribs even as Gaara smiled at the absurdity of it all.
His siblings, teasing and joking like a real family. Something he'd always wanted, deep inside. And now, with the impending alliance with the Nara clan, his family was going to expand.
Suddenly Gaara felt a need to breathe, away from the crowd, away from all the people pressing in from all directions.
-----
Alone in a corner, unheeded, she wept. Hidden by the shadow of a tall pillar, along a corridor near the greenhouses, she had slid to the floor even as Naruto and Sakura achieved a new understanding.
She was biting her wrist to keep the sobs from escaping; she didn't want to make a scene. But the pain on her flesh was minute. It was her heart that was in agony. She wanted someone to rip it out, toss it far from her – perhaps into an ocean or a volcanic chasm – so she'd never be able to use it again, never be able to feel again.
But no one tore her still beating heart from her chest. Hinata had to bear with the racking sobs, the agony, the heartbreak.
She wanted to scream, to cry out loud, but she mustn't. She mustn't mar the occasion.
He is happy. He is happy, and I should be happy for him. He is happy with Sakura. I should be happy for him. I should be, but I can't. I can't I can't. But he is happy.
-----
Gaara took the path that led to the greenhouses. It should be quiet there; in the foliage he could hide and drown himself in silence and solitude. In the worst case scenario, he could escape to his office via the other hallway. Kankurou had seen him slipping out of the lights of the square, and had deftly captured the posse of fangirls' attentions with an amusing tale. He had to remember to thank Kankurou later.
Perhaps he could hide until daybreak...
Someone's there along the corridor.
His right hand formed a seal, ready to activate the sand about him. "Who's there?"
A stifled sob, a gasp. Not a threat. Gaara's hand relaxed.
A girl scrambled to her feet – not easy with a long dress and heels – and executed a hasty bow.
"You are... Hyuuga-san."
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-to intrude." She avoided his eyes; her face was blotchy with tears. "I apologise f-for... I have to g-go. I'm sorry."
"Wait."
Hinata paused in the process of turning away. Gaara's tone was not commanding, but she felt moved to stay.
Gaara looked slightly discomforted. "Perhaps you would like to compose yourself before you return to your friends." He gestured to the dark building looming beyond the greenhouses. "You can recover in my office if you like."
It was very nice of him. Hinata was touched. "Th-thank you."
-----
There wasn't much furniture in his office. It was a place to work, not a place to live. Nevertheless there was a sofa and two armchairs for visitors, as well as the Kazekage's seat behind the table.
Gaara felt better when he stepped into his office. His gourd was leaning against the filing cabinet. He didn't palm on the main overhead lights, turning on only the table lamp and floor lamp near the visitors' couch. Inviting Hinata to settle in one of the chairs, Gaara went to his desk and retrieved a small container.
"Would you like some tea?"
Hinata sniffed and managed an attempt at a smile. "Yes, p-please, Kazekage-sama."
"Hyuuga-san, please address me as Gaara."
"Please, call m-me Hinata."
The tea was warm and soothed Hinata, releasing the tight band across her chest. She turned away from the memory of Naruto and Sakura's kiss, focusing instead on the scene outside the round windows, on the subtle detailing on the furniture, on anything that could hold her attention even for a moment. Some seconds were harder to bear than others.
Gaara sipped from his own cup, not looking at her. Neither spoke, until Gaara poured the second round of tea.
"Why were you crying?"
Hinata swallowed. "A treasured dream shattered," she whispered, her stutter gone in the pain of the recollection.
Gaara observed the pale features of Hinata before him. Her skin reminded him of something that haunted him. He really shouldn't have asked the question, she was obviously still hurting. How did Temari distract him when he was very young?
Ah yes. Stories. She told me stories.
He looked again at the girl, at her milky white skin and dark hair, at the deep indigo of the dress, and remembered what she reminded him of.