Mission Impossible: Housewife

By KawaiPanda

Chapter Four

A GaaraIno love story

Two days—that's how short it'd been since Gaara and I had met... at least, since becoming practically engaged. It had been just two days since he had interrupted the meeting and set the council members straight. In a way, it was kind of shocking to see how much command he held over them. He had no need to rise his voice, all they saw was the look in his eye and somewhat gave in. (They gave us an extention of time so we could get to know one another a little better.) And it was all for my benefit. I wondered if he could have just called off the engagement if he could make them change the terms of the contract, but I assumed that would be probably pushing our luck, unless Gaara was secretly wanting this... maybe it didn't have to necessarily have to be me, but I think he might have wanted to get married.

I didn't know what to expect from Gaara or this relationship, but him going out on a limb for me made me realize that mabe—just maybe—we could work out. And, in a way, I wanted it to. Not only where there benefits from being the wife of a powerful man, but I wanted to get to know this man who I was pledging myself to. He wasn't like any guy I'd ever met before that I would have ever considered to be a future prospect for the role of husband.

"Ino!" Temari shouted through the door. I frowned and finished putting my Suna garb in place before opening the door. She, of course, was in similar clothing. Today was going to be a particularly rough one, with the sandstorm coming in the next few days and all. She had come by because not only did I need to familiarize myself with the village, we were also supposed to be getting supplies for the mansion to make sure we wouldn't want for anything until it was safe to traverse the town once more.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to go shopping or not?"

"Of course." I followed her out of the room and eventually out of the mansion, into the scorching heat. Almost immediately, sand found its way inside my clothing from the winds that picked up every so often. Damnit.

By noon, we found ourselves carrying several full bags from clothing and food, to the hair/skin care product Temari used, different scents of course. Didn't want to smell like her, after all. And I, for one, wasn't going to be able to stand the heat drying up my skin without trying something to keep it from occuring.

Before the end of the day, I planned to visit Gaara. After all, one can't get to know their fiance without spending time with them. He seemed to live in that office of his because I'd only seen him maybe twice since coming here. We travelled back to the mansion, which, as of yet was still not my home, and separated briefly.

After tossing my things in the room I'd been given, which I did NOT share with a certain red head, I helped Temari put the food up in the kitchen. The underused kitchen.

"So, what kind of food do you like?" I asked, making conversation.

"So long as it's not squid or octopus, we're good," she replied, making a face. I giggled at her, and pulled out a frying pan. Surprisingly they did have various cookware, but almost no food at all except for random, and old, takeout boxes that were thrown out the night I'd arrived.

Hesitantly, I asked, "And what does Gaara-sama like?"

"Not sugery sweet things really," she supplied. Something to store for a later date.

"Well, no problem then." It didn't take me too long to fry us something up to eat, and by the time I was done, Kankuro was up and wandering into the kitchen. He slept like a log most mornings, it seemed, and I wouldn't see hide nor hair of him until well after noon unless he had a mission.

"What are ya makin' in here?" He sniffed the air. "Smells good."

"Fried rice," I replied as he grabbed a plate from the cabinet, sitting it on the table.

Temari scowled as he sat down, "Tch, no one said for you to sit down."

"Temari, it's too early," he complained.

"Idiot, it's already noon!"

"It's done," I informed them, and they stopped bickering immediately. I made sure to give them even proportions, and left enough for myself and Gaara to share. While they were in the midst of eating, I readied a small container, and grabbed some silverware.

"Where are you going?" Temari asked, confused.

"Oh, I'm going to eat with Gaara-sama. I'll be back later," I replied.

Grabbing my things, I hurried through the bulding to the front door, hearing Kankuro groan into his food and tell his sister, "We've got to keep her around."

Hearing that gave me a small smile, because from the looks of it, none of the siblings did much cooking, and eating takeout every night wasn't good for anyone. I'm glad I was able to contribute even just a little bit. I was especially concerned for Gaara, because it seemed as if he ate very little, and I wondered when did he ever find time to eat, because he was burried in that avalanche of paperwork constantly.

It didn't take me too long to make it to the Kazekage's tower. And after making my way to his office, I noticed Matsuri was no where to be found. Thank Kami. That girl gave me the creeps. Whenever I did come to the office, she would glare daggers at me, and while she didn't scare me, something about the look in her eyes had me concerned.

Briefly knocking on the door, I opened it without awaiting for Gaara to call me in.

"Matsuri, I thought I told you no more interruptions today," came Gaara's voice. Blushing, I hesistated. before peeking around the door.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," I mumbled.

"... Ino-san?" He seemed a bit surprised at hearing my voice, at least that's what I guessed from the tone in his voice.

"Yes."

He straightened up, and replied, "Come in."

"You sure?" I asked, as I walked inside his office, closing the door behind me.

"Yes." He looked up, and after a moment of silence, asked, "Did you need something?"

"Well... I... I was wondering, are you hungry?" I fumbled with the bag I'd brought the food in, and pulled it out. Upon seeing the food container in my hands, and looking between me and it for a long moment, he nodded so slightly that had I not been a ninja, I might not have seen it.

"Great!" I pulled up a chair to his desk, and clearing a small section of it, placed the container on the desk. I handed him a fork, and dug in. Surprisingly, he ate with me—and with gusto. I ate slowly, watching him, studying the man who was to be my husband, wondering what I should ask to learn something, anything I could about him without being a nuisance.

"Gaara-kun! I brought you some -" Matsuri abruptly opened the door to the office—the pleased look and blushing cheeks that adorned her face fell immediately when she spotted me sitting in the office. She scowled, and crossed her arms. "What in Kami's name are you doing in here? Gaara-kun isn't supposed to be bothered."

"She brought me lunch. Is there something you needed Matsuri?" Gaara responded before I could. He lifted a brow. "More paperwork?"

"N-no. I-I..." She gripped something tightly in her hands before putting it behind her back. "Never mind." She headed back out of the office, shutting the door behind her. Faintly, I heard something heavy being thrown into the garbage.

"I guess I should go now." I stood, and collected the dirtied dishes. "I'll see you at the mansion."

He nodded and I moved to leave. "Will you... will you be cooking dinner?" I stopped, my hand on the doorknob, chancing to glance back at him. He was frowning, but I could tell that whatever he was feeling was being directed at himself, however when he saw me looking, he went back to that neutral expression that seemed etched into his face.

"Y-yes. Is there anything you would prefer?" He shook his head and I nodded. "Alright. I'll see you then." With that, I twisted the knob and left his office, shutting it quietly behind me.

I saw that Matsuri wasn't at her desk and I briefly wondered where she was before I shrugged and headed towards the stairs, happening to see that the girl in question had thrown away some food?

XxXxXxX

I had informed Temari and Kankuro that I was going to be cooking the moment I walked into the mansion and saw Kankuro licking his place clean. He seemed estatic, happily informing me that nothing Temari ever made would come close. Temari promply slapped him upside the head and told me she was just happy it wasn't going to fall onto just her anymore. Before too long, she and Kankuro both left to get to their duties for the rest of the day and informed me that they would be home at dusk, leaving me alone in the empty building yet again.

Thankfully, time flew by as I wandered to the library to look up Suna and it's history, as well as some native recipes I would try once I got a better feel for the cuisine around here, and before I knew it, it was time for dinner.

I was just finishing setting the plates of food down on the table when Temari and Kankuro walked in.

"Hey blondie?" I knew Kankuro had to be addressing me because he would never call his sister that. She'd slap him silly with that fan of hers.

Lifting a brow, I asked, "Yes?"

"Why'd you make a fourth plate?" He asked, referring to the one next to me.

"Oh, well -"

A voice interrupted me with, "It's for me." Gaara walked into the kitchen, stopping to take off his gourd and place it against the wall next to his brothers' puppet and Temari's enlarged fan. Both Temari and Kankuro stared wide eyed as he slid into the seat next to me.

"G-Gaara?" Temari gaped.

"What are you doing here?" Kankuro asked, surprise easily registered in his voice.

"Eating dinner," he replied with a frown as if it wasn't obvious, and I looked between the siblings wondering what was going on.

"B-but you -" From the loud thud, sharp intake of breath and the table shaking at Kankuro's jump, I assumed Temari had kicked Kankuro under the table. Okay... I frowned at the two of them.

"How was your day little brother?" Temari asked with a smile, changing the subject.

"..." He took a moment to swallow his the fork full of food he had bit into. "It was okay."

"That's nice." She gave him a genuine smile. "So, did you like the lunch Ino took you?"

"... Yes."

She nodded, "Good, good."

Things fell silent after that, though Kankuro kept glaring at Temari until the meal was finished. He announced that he was going out for the night and to not wait up for him while Temari retired to her room, leaving Gaara and I alone.

I'd admit, I was still a bit nervous being alone with the red-head but I wasn't going to run away like a child—after all, I was a grown woman. And a ninja! I would not run away.

Instead, I ignored Gaara's very presense, suddenly looming in the room, and picked up the dishes and prepared them for a washing. The soapy water was hot and I was placing the dirty dishes inside when Gaara got up from the table to come stand beside me. I was hyperaware of his presence, feeling heat rise to my face as he leaned in from behind me to place his own dishes in the water.

"I'll help you," he offered.

"A-alright." I pushed up my sleeves and got to scrubbing, the Kazekage beside me, prepared to rinse the dishes. What a sight we must have made. He was a formidable man. The leader of a country of ninja. And here he was being domestic. It was weird, but then, we were a weird couple. Pushed together by meddling councilmen. If things had been different, I wonder if we would have even considered one another as a lifemate. Somehow, it was doubtful. Very doubtful. I was the girl next door and he... well, he was (once upon a time) a homicidal maniac who killed because the demon inside him told him to. And he didn't seem like he was really interested in girls like other guys his age were. Not that he's gay or anything, to my knowledge, just... not a hormonal idiot.

What a freaky couple indeed.