Standard disclaimers apply. I'm just borrowing these characters for a little while.
Author's note: Kishimoto-sensei's plan is to fit the entire 4th Shinobi War Arc into a matter of days in the Naruto timeline, but I'm taking the liberty of extending it since war is never so quick and clean-cut. Events from the manga will be added, removed or shifted around. Please pardon my impudence.
Sakura had taken advantage of the meeting of the five Kages to move into her tent proper. It was a relatively simple task, since she had already sealed away all the necessities in various storage scrolls. She was just about to duck into her tent with an armful of them with an older shinobi came up beside her.
"Haruno-sama, if I may be of assistance," the shinobi made to take the scrolls out of her arms.
Sakura automatically pulled the scrolls a little closer to her chest as she studied the shinobi in front of her. Then her memory clicked into place. The shinobi standing before her must be Baki – Gaara's former teacher whom she had briefly conversed with while she was treating Kankurou's poisoning.
It had seemed like so long ago. "Baki-san, isn't it?"
The shinobi nodded, then said, "Haruno-sama, as Kazekage-sama's personal medic, you shouldn't be bothering with such mundane tasks. I can have a few currently untasked shinobis to assist your setup."
Sakura resisted the urge to grit her teeth, and instead forced out as pleasant a smile as she could. "It's no trouble at all, Baki-san. Besides, Kazekage-sama is at a meeting with the other Kages, so he is not around for me to watch over for now."
"Regardless of that, Haruno-sama, a medic of your standing shouldn't be…"
Sakura was pretty sure she was still smiling, but if the strain at the edge of her lips and the cocked eyebrow on Baki's face was any indication, it was faltering. Internally, she willed herself to calm down before she actually hit the Kazekage's former teacher over the head with a scroll.
It still hurt to smile unnaturally, though.
"Baki-san, I am not some helpless damsel who needs to sit down for a cup of tea while commandeering others to do my unpacking for me. I have many medical scrolls and tomes in these scrolls, all of which I must be able to find at a moment's notice. So it really is best if I do my own unpacking."
"Of course, Haruno-sama. But if you require any assistance…"
Okay, this was getting a little out of hand.
"Baki-san," Sakura readjusted the scrolls in her arms to stand a little straighter and taller, "I do not want to be treated any differently from the shinobis in this war; I do not deserve the suffix of 'sama' added to my name. From now onwards, please, call me Sakura."
"As you wish, Sakura-san."
Just… dammit.
Baki finally stepped aside to let Sakura into her tent. Once inside, she waited for Baki's chakra signature to fade into the distance. Then she heaved a sigh of annoyance, shoulder sagging the moment she heavily deposited her scrolls onto her cot.
"I am not enjoying this!" Sakura yelled out to no one specifically.
"What are you not enjoying?"
Sakura whipped around so quickly that Gaara was concerned for one ridiculous moment that she might topple right over.
"Kazekage-sama!"
"Gaara," he frowned at the formality she was displaying – the very formality she had wanted to avoid.
"That was a short meeting," Sakura tried to change the topic as subtly as she could, in spite of the fierce blush on her cheeks at being caught throwing a tantrum.
"There was little new to discuss. Now, whatever was the cause of your displeasure?"
She had to give it to him – he was a tenacious one.
"It's just…" she gestured towards everything and nothing in particular, "Everyone is addressing me so formally! Baki-san practically offered to give me an army of servants to help me unpack a moment ago! The kitchen staff bowed to me while handing me your weekly menu! And then there are the kunoichis who think that I'm being given to you as some sort of Konoha bride!"
Gaara had to stifle a snort at the last statement.
"I'm just so glad that Ino isn't in this Division. She's going to blow all the rumours out of proportion and the next thing you know, whenever I have to go into your tent, everyone will automatically assume we are… you know…" she linked her 2 index fingers.
If Gaara had any eyebrows, they would have crawled right up into his hairline by now.
Anger spent and deflating slightly, she looked down at her feet and muttered, "I'm not someone special. I'm just here to perform my duty as your personal medic."
Gaara waited until he was sure that she had nothing else to add, then interjected, "That is where you are wrong, Sakura. Being the personal medic to a Kage is a huge responsibility, as I'm sure Hokage-sama must have told you. You are immediately ranked within my inner circle of trusted shinobis. And as your primary duties are to the Kage, any other tasks that you might find yourself wanting to do will be deemed unworthy of your personal attention. Baki was simply acting according to protocol."
Sakura blinked owlishly. That was probably the most words that Gaara had ever said to her in one sitting.
"Oh!"
Sakura reached into her pouch and pulled out a piece of paper. It was somewhat crumpled from having been jostled around, and she quickly smoothed it out before holding it up.
"Gaara, we need to address your dietary intake."
Gaara sighed – he should have known that this issue would come up sooner rather than later.
"Everything looks okay – there is a good amount of carbohydrates and proteins, which are essential for a field combatant. In fact, your menu looks like everyone else's'," she gave him a pointed look, "And that's a problem."
Gaara tilted his head slightly, encouraging her to continue speaking. He had requested to not be treated differently from his shinobis, and at least the kitchen staff was willing to concede to him on this matter.
"You specialise in chakra-intensive ninjutsu, and there is not enough chakra-replenishing food in your daily intake."
Ah, his sand.
"I can assure you that I won't be frivolously using my sand to build little sandcastles, Sakura. There is hardly any need to modify my menu, seeing how I've managed to use my sand without any trouble in various combat situations over the years."
Alright, so he's sensitive about his sand. I can work around that.
"Gaara, we're talking about a war here. You are going to be facing sustained combat situations. You may not have time to replenish your chakra, so we need to build up your chakra reserve as well as replace it whenever possible," Sakura reasoned.
"You said 'we'. Does this mean you're going to be force-feeding me those foul-tasting herbs if I don't co-operate?" he practically glowered at her.
Sakura could not help the grin that broke across her face. So it was just a matter of him hating the taste of chakra-replenishing herbs.
Her grin was making Gaara suspicious. Of what, he wasn't sure. But he was definitely suspicious. Grinning kunoichis usually spelt trouble ever since he hit puberty, for some reason.
"It can brew it into a tea, and we can mask the taste with honey. You will still get the full effects of the herbs without having to consume them raw," Sakura smiled, "Will that be acceptable?"
"And suppose someone were to slip poison into the tea before it is brought to me?"
Sakura had to stop to ponder the possibility of such a scenario. It was true – as the Regimental Leader, Gaara would make an especially tempting target for any shinobi or even civilian looking to add a feather to their cap. And as his personal medic, if Gaara was to be poisoned on her watch…
"You do not have to worry about that, Gaara. I will personally brew your tea, and I will bring it to you directly every night without taking me eyes off it even for one second," Sakura assured, "After all, my reputation as your personal medic is at stake here. No one will be able to harm you through something as cowardly as poisoning your food."
Gaara found himself smiling along with her in spite of their topic of discussion. Poison? Really? Then he recalled Naruto once telling him about how Sakura would often spend hours in the library, reading some of the most incomprehensible medical tomes and then recounting her new-found knowledge to him with just a little too much enthusiasm. And usually over a meal, no less.
"Very well, Sakura. Your proposal is acceptable, and I shall look forward to testing your culinary skills tonight."
It was only after he left that Sakura realised she had just pretty much agreed to pay nightly visit to Gaara's tent. And after she had voiced her concern about people misunderstanding their relationship, no less.
Sakura hoped that the pillow had muffled her scream sufficiently.