A/N: Here I am again trying to do as many chapters as I can before school starts so I'll just get to the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Chapter 8

Hinata had already spent a week in the Kazekage tower; she had done lots of shopping with Temari and watched Kankuro fix his puppets. She was enjoying herself, but there were two things that really bothered her, one she hadn't started her training which was exactly why she was here. And two she hadn't seen Gaara ever since the day of the sandstorm, Temari had told her about Gaara's outright refusal in letting her stay but then changing his mind after he saved her from the sandstorm.

Secretly she wondered if he was mad at her, she wanted to be friends with Temari and Kankuro, but she also wanted to be friends with him. Maybe Matsuri was right, maybe with a little understanding he could really open up. Plus when she had woken up after the doctor had examined her head she saw his bloody white sash sitting on her night table, she had wanted to return it but never got enough courage to visit him in his office. Today though she vowed would be different, she awoke at the crack of dawn and quickly showered and dressed. As quietly as she could Hinata headed towards the training grounds in the back of the Kazekage tower. Her plan was to train all day or at least until Temari or Kankuro found her.

When she got to the training grounds she froze, and no matter how hard she tried couldn't get herself to move. Sitting on top of one of the training posts was Gaara, eyes closed and muscles relaxed. Hinata thought she might be bothering him so she started to back away, not knowing that there was a Kunai sticking out of the ground, and poor clumsy Hinata tripped over it and landed with a dull thud. Gaara's eyes snapped open and he glared at the girl on the ground, her eyes were tightly closed and she was holding her breath. Slowly Hinata thought it would be okay if she opened her eyes just a little; the first thing she saw was a pale hand in front of her face. She squeaked and crawled away slightly.

"You're really clumsy," Gaara replied in his monotone.

"H-hai," Hinata stuttered, still on the ground.

"Are you going to get up?" Gaara asked.

"H-hai, a-arigotou," Hinata said taking his hand as he pulled her up.

"S-so K-kazekage-sama, w-what are y-you doing h-h-here so e-early?" Hinata asked.

"Meditating," he replied. 'Her stutter is annoying' Shukaku thought and Gaara agreed.

"A-a-ano, m-m-may I t-train here a-a-as w-well?" Hinata asked.

"Hn," was Gaara's reply, as he seated himself in the closest tree.

Hinata took that as a yes; she placed herself in front of a training pole and began to hit it, making small thudding noises. As weeks passed Gaara found the soft thudding of the Hyuuga's palms hitting the wood soothing, and he waited for it every morning. They never spoke to each other, unless it was Hinata saying good morning or good bye, and she would only stay for few hours before going off after Temari or Kankuro, and then she would leave him to his solitude. But one morning things went significantly different, when she came to the training there was no stuttered good morning, Gaara could tell it was her though because of her chakra.

This time when she went to striking the pole it was no longer the soft thuds, it was a sharp and painful sound, unsettling him. He kept his eyes closed and tried to continue meditating, he didn't know how long she had been hitting the pole like that but suddenly his nose caught the familiar smell of blood. Opening one eye, he observed her from the tree, as she continued to hit the pole fiercely while it leaving tiny bloody handprints. The next thing he knew he was holding her wrist and preventing her from hitting the pole again.

"You're hurt," he said, examining the raw skin of her palm.

Hinata's face turned bright red and she refused to look at him, she gently tried to tug away from his grip, but he didn't let her go.

"Why are you hurting yourself?" he asked, although he didn't know much about physical pain, he was sure that you wouldn't inflict pain on yourself without a reason.

"G-g-gaara-sama," Hinata began.

"Stop stuttering it's annoying," Gaara said in his monotone before letting go of her wrist.

"Gaara-sama, what a-are you d-doing?" Hinata asked curiously, when he lifted the other hand and examined it.

"Don't talk unless you can do it without a stutter," Gaara replied calmly about to poke the raw flesh on her palm. "If you do talk with a stutter then I will ignore you."

"G-gaara-sama, p-please don't touch that, it w-will hurt, ah!" Hinata gasped painfully as he poked her palm hard. "Ow Gaara-sama p-p-please don't." Before she could say anything else he had poked her hand again.

"You wish to become stronger," Gaara said, instead of asked.

"Hai," Hinata said slowly, trying not to stutter.

"Then fix your stuttering first, it shows a sign of weakness. If you can learn not to stutter then you are slowly getting stronger." Gaara replied. "Now repeat after me, I will not stutter."

"I-I-I," Hinata began, wondering why he was helping her, and in the process making herself blush.

"Try again," Gaara, said poking her raw flesh again and making her wince.

"I will n-not," Hinata tried again.

"Try again," Gaara replied, poking her hand another time.

"I will not stutter," Hinata said slowly, trying to avoid any more pain.

"Again," he said, releasing her wrist and staring her in the face.

"I will not stutter," she said again.

Temari had awoke this morning planning to train with Hinata and try to make her stronger, when she went to the training grounds she was surprised to see Gaara actually talking to the Hyuuga and Hinata talking back to Gaara without a single stuttered word. She tried not to make a sound as she snuck up, hearing the repeated phrase 'I will not stutter.'

"Temari, you may come out, I was about to leave," Gaara replied, turning to walk away from Hinata.

Temari walked out from behind a wall looking sheepish, as Gaara passed her.

"Arigotou Gaara-sama!" Hinata called after him.

He looked back behind him and cocked an eyebrow, receiving a smile and a blush, not the reaction he was used to. His head ached slightly from all the confusion, and the idea he had paper work to do all afternoon.

As soon as Gaara was gone, Temari approached Hinata with a sly grin on her face.

"So what was that about?" Temari asked.

"N-nothing!" Hinata squeaked turning slightly pink.

"Well the not stuttering didn't last very long," Temari said with a grin.

"Temari-chan, I have to take this in steps. "Demo I can't if you keep e-embarrassing me!" Hinata said, the pink slowly fading.

"Yeah, yeah it's none of my business any way, would you like to spar?" Temari asked changing the topic.

"Hai!" Hinata said, getting into her gentle fist stance.

"Alright begin!" Temari said.

Hinata ran at Temari, who pulled her fan and flourished it, and Hinata went flying backwards and almost crashed into a training post. She sat up and shook her head, ignoring the small cuts and bruises that covered her body and stood. For the next few hours she tried again and again to reach Temari but all attempts failed. By the end of their training session Hinata had more than a few bruises.

"Please, Hinata can we stop for today?" asked Temari desperate, because she didn't want to hurt her anymore.

"Yeah," Hinata said, fighting back tears of disappointment.

"Good, then let's go inside," Temari said, turning and walking away from Hinata.

Before she left Hinata decided she would wrap her raw hands, when reached into her pocket she felt something soft and thick. She knew they weren't bandages, so she pulled it from her pocket. It was Gaara's sash folded, and cleaned, she had for gotten to give it to him this morning, that's when an idea hit her. She stood and ran toward the Kazekage's office.

Gaara looked at the clock, it was around one and he was already done with all his paper work, and now he contemplated on what to do. An idea struck him and he stood up, he quickly wrote a note and put it on his desk. Walking to the window sill he fastened his gourd with a replacement sash and jumped out the window.

Hinata ran out of the Kazekage tower just as Gaara disappeared into the passing crowd. She inhaled deeply and held the sash firmly in her hands, without another thought she began to run through the crowd trying to catch up to Gaara.

"Kazekage-sama…" Hinata's frail voice was barely even heard by her.

She pushed through the crowd and by the time she saw him enter a building she had multiple bruises and small cuts but she proceeded to enter the same building Gaara had. She froze when she entered when she realized what this building was, it was the orphanage. After checking in with the woman at the desk Hinata walked into the back and saw Gaara sitting on one of the little small beds. A small boy ran up to him and held a bear up to the Kazekage, and Hinata unconsciously smiled.

Ever since Gaara had become Kazekage his sister had forced him to take part in the villager's lives, giving him two choices. Visit the hospital or the orphanage. Gaara's obvious choice was the orphanage; secretly he loved kids, so pure and innocent. He had actually gotten quite found of two of the orphans, one being a young girl named Matsuri. She was determined and held high promise, while the other was a little boy named Akito.

When he arrived he had visited Akito first, Matsuri was out training and he didn't want to disturb her just yet so he decided to play with Akito. Now he was holding the stuffed bear he had given Akito for Christmas last year, while the young boy held a small action figure that looked like a ninja. Gaara gave a quick soft smile before setting the bear down and standing, he patted the boys head and was about to go see Matsuri when he felt a slight tug on the hem of his shirt. He looked back slightly catching the gaze of another one of the younger orphans.

"Yes, what is it?" Gaara asked, his monotone, even in place around the children.

"A p-p-pretty lady a-asked me t-to give t-t-this to y-you Kazekage-sama," the child said holding a white cloth out to him.

Taking it from the boy he examined it closely and realized it was his sash, the one he had let the Hyuuga borrow for her head injury. It must have taken her a while to get all the blood out, Gaara mused to himself as he slipped into his pocket. Deciding that if he was to find out the source of his confusion he would have to spend time with the Hyuuga and also find a way to 'thank her' as Temari would put it.

A/N: So, so chapter, sorry it took me so long today was my first day of high school and it was horrible! I'm just glad that I have this to help me relax and stuff. I know it's not long but please bear with me! Well review!