I guess I'll mention that the drabble titles come from a thirty word prompt list.
Shining- Gaara
"And how are the twins?"
Though focused on the figurehead before him, he is never unaware of Sakura and her utterance gives him pause. She is addressing the man's wife, a slip of a woman who he is certain he has never heard make a sound. The sickly woman becomes suddenly animated, and Sakura has the woman tumbling into a story about her children.
Six months into their marriage and she still manages to amaze him with her political acumen and social dexterity. He has worked with this man for nearly his entire political career, and yet has no knowledge of "the twins." It is at ridiculous administrative functions like these that Sakura consistently demonstrates her worth as the partner of the Kazekage.
He watches her navigate the room with such skill that she seems to shine. He should be thankful that she has been so well received within the governmental circles, so he tries to suppress his frustration and resentment. However, the discomfort in the pit of his stomach proves insurmountable.
How is it that she can speak to them with such ease, but still struggle to share her thoughts and feelings with him?
Life- Sakura
It did not take long for them to establish their joint lives. They both rise early, head to their separate duties, and return late at night to fall back into bed. Some nights, when exhaustion has not overtaken him, Gaara will reach for her. She never stops him because she appreciates the release.
While the pattern has been set and she considers herself a satisfactory wife, she has to admit that she is still not fully used to the silence. She is used to light and laughter, but the stern gaze of her husband puts her on edge, and she is not quite sure how to bridge the gap between them.
Hidden- Temari
"You have to let her know how you feel."
"Hn."
"With words."
"…"
Whispered- Gaara
She's in their bedroom's adjoining bathroom brushing out her hair. Despite its spaciousness, this is a room that they usually navigate separately. He watches her from the doorframe, but hesitates to go any further. She catches his presence in the mirror and pauses her movements, a question in her eyes.
"I…just…how was your day?"
He hates his pathetic attempt at communication as much as he hates himself and—
"Pretty uneventful. Oh, actually there was this one patient…"
He doesn't hear the words so much as he's just caught up in the lyrical flow of her voice. He enters the room and positions himself on one of the lavishly carved bath stools. He watches her reposition herself to face him, watches the way she leans causally against the sink and waves her brush to emphasize her story. She laughs at her story's finale, and he cannot stop the smile that cracks through his habitually impassive facade.
From the moment he sought her out in Konoha with his proposal, and perhaps quite a bit before, this was all he ever wanted. Her talking to him like it's easy, like it's normal.
Enjoy- Sakura
Without really realizing it, she comes to look forward to their nightly meetings in the bathroom. They are always simple exchanges, but, for her, they are the promise of what might be.
Suddenly, they are talking and the silence is slipping slowly away. They are still far from baring their souls to one another, but she likes these little shaky steps they are taking towards each other.