Chapter 12

A mere few hours later Hinata arrived at the bustling Konoha train station. It was packed with people and there were various traveling business persons, shinobies as well as families waiting in the customs line to be processed.

Half an hour later she tucked away her stamped visa document in to her satchel and headed towards the Kage tower determined.

She hadn't expected the first person to greet her when she arrived at the Kage tower to be checked in to be Matsuri.

The Sunagakure Chief of Staff came down personally at 11:13 AM exactly to greet Hinata. This would typically be a time any senior official in Suna would be unreachable. In fact she'd had no real hopes of seeing Gaara until after 6 PM, but she had decided to take her chances by checking at the tower anyway.

"Hinata" Matsuri smiled tightly without any honorifics. "Would you like to come to my office for a chat?"

It was asked nicely but Hinata knew it wasn't a question.

"Of course, Matsuri-san" Hinata decided to take the higher ground. Perhaps it wasn't the higher ground since she was here to win Gaara away from the girl after all. She did feel guilty… she wasn't a monster. But it couldn't be helped, this was one situation in life where she wasn't going to passively back away no matter whether she was in the right or wrong.

As the two entered the younger girl's office the door was shut behind them and silence descended. Matsuri walked over to her desk dressed as usual in her typical combat gear with an unusual amount of grimness.

"Gaara told me what happened," Matsuri sighed.

Hinata blushed guiltily, "What did he say… exactly?"

"He told me what happened between you two in Konoha,"

"...I'm sorry Matsuri-san but Gaara and I have history, it's complicated."

She didn't trust this girl she realized now as she sat in the office with her alone. It was a gut feeling. She blinked as that had been a random thought, she didn't have a lot of memories of Matsuri yet... but this sudden realization made her uneasy. As if she had brought a knife to a gun fight. She felt unprepared and scared all of a sudden.

"Why else would you be here?" Matsuri suddenly lashed out making Hinata startle. "He is mine now Hinata... I don't care if you remember, or have rediscovered your feelings for him or whatever..." she rolled her eyes, "he is with me. I've been in love with him since I was 15… I'm not letting him go."

"Ah…" Hinata nodded. She tried to valiantly push past the sudden discomfort in her stomach and stay strong. "M-Matsuri-san, I did r-regain some of my memories" the blunette didn't miss the slight narrowing in Matsuri's eyes. "And I am not about to give up on Gaara again e-either."

"First of all, stop calling him Gaara. That is Kazekage-sama to you," Matsuri replied tightly, "secondly, you have nothing to give up on at this point. He's moved on…"

"If I have even an iota of a chance, I won't stop trying. Not after the way I've le-" Hinata's voice caught in her throat with emotion. She took a moment to gather herself, "Not after the way I've let him down already."

The two stood there in a stand off both staring the other woman down.

"What are you here to do exactly?" Matusri asked Hinata, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm here to win him back"

"You can't stay here forever waiting for him, that's shameful.. even for you"

"What do you mean?... even for me?" Hinata asked, confused.

"Well the first time you came, you received shelter here because of Gaara and Naruto's relationship and you certainly didn't waste your time in seducing Gaara. He was happy before you came... he led a good life."

Hinata frowned. She hadn't regained her memory of how Gaara and her had gotten together.

"Gaara is no child… it's not like I could have forced him into a situation he didn't want to be a part of."

"Yes… even I was surprised at how well the damsel in distress act worked on him. This time around though I think it will be me trying it out,"

"Damsel… in distress?" Hinata blinked with a hand to her head. That didn't sound like her.

"Oh I don't think you did it on purpose" Matsuri said consolingly, "but your general helpless nature and annoying spineless attitude really inspires men's instinct to protect I've noticed. You have so many men on the hook. Kiba, Shino, Naruto, Kankuro, Kakashi, Sasuke…. Gaara."

"Sasuke?" she blinked confused.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed how he never snaps at you?"

Hinata was stunned. Wait what, the rest of Matsuri's sentence sunk into her conscience. "I don't have men on the hook" she denied vehemently.

"Keep telling yourself that," Matsuri laughed, making Hinata even more upset.

The blunette looked around the office unable to look at this girl anymore her sudden composure in coming to Suna in shambles. Had she seduced the Kazekage against his will, had she brought down all this pain on Gaara? and that is when her gaze rested on the only plant in the office. A desert rose.

"Gaara gave me that, as a symbol of our relationship," Matsuri added, noting the Hyuga's interest.

Hinata's hands curled in her lap as she continued to look at the plant. She was very in-tune with symbolism of plants. A desert rose symbolized strength, persistence, and resilience. It was also a symbol of hope during trying times and it was meant to bring luck and abundance to new starts...

There was a bit of a ringing sound in Hinata's ears as she looked at the plant. She heard in the background Matsuri pressing a button on her desk and instructing guards to come in. Two shinobi walked into the office without delay.

"Escort her downstairs," Matsuri told the Guards.

Apparently their conversation was over. Hinata was in shock so the guards had to hoist her out of the chair and take her physically out of the Kage compound and Hinata felt shame as she stood outside in the desert heat for being such a pushover... but ... what authority did she have as a mere shinobi against a senior official of a foreign nation?

Perhaps she would be able to talk to Gaara later about Matsuri's treatment of her... but was the girl in the wrong? Hinata wasn't sure anymore and her head hurt.


The Hyuga spent the rest of her day exploring Suna.

After her conversation with Matsuri she decided to explore the streets of Suna going around the city looking at tourist attractions because she had a feeling of dread. People in Sunagakure seemed more than happy to help her navigate around the city so that helped her bruised ego a bit after having Matsuri demonstrate their inequity in power and status so single handedly to Hinata.

She went to a spice market in the afternoon and explored the stalls that had beautiful mounds of colorful and perfumey spices. She remembered back in the day walking these streets with Gaara for the first time hand in hand. He had bought her bangles and sarees, and lenghas. He also used to take her to a tea stall that'd had delicious desserts and mint tea. She wondered if she could find it again.

Hinata took the maze-like cobblestone pathways walking by vendors selling rugs, pottery, and clothing to eventually find a tea stall. She couldn't be sure if it was the same one from her memory, but since she hadn't had lunch she ordered a briyani that was delicious and opted for some mint tea afterwards to cleanse her palate.

It's been a long day she thought looking out at the sand dunes in the distance.

Sand dunes...

That day from the picture where Gaara and she had been sand surfing came back to her now in bits and pieces.

It had been when their relationship was just blossoming, Gaara had taken her sand dune surfing which is unlike anything she'd ever tried before. If it hadn't been for her ninja like reflexes and balance she didn't think she would have survived it. They had started surfing in the evening close to sunset and had surfed down the dunes time and time again until they were both exhausted. Later that night they had camped out by the dunes in a tent with a fire and had BBQ'ed some meat and veggies along with a few cold beverages. The food had been delicious and it had been a perfect date. She smiled in fondness and then got up to leave paying the shopkeeper double.

Afterwards Hinata continued her exploration of the city and bought a small cacti plant from a vendor. With the plant she got on a bus heading towards the stunning succulent garden she knew to be situated at the outskirts of the city.

.


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Kazekage's Office 6 PM

Gaara looked up from the file he was signing as Matsuri walked into his office. He had been informed the minute Hinata had entered Sunagakure but he'd been biding his time to see what Hinata would do. He looked at his girlfriend in a careful manner as he was sure by now she knew as well.

"You must know that she is here" is how Matsuri chose to greet him.

He stifled the urge to sigh and gently closed the file instead meticulously moving it to the side.

As the Kazekage he had a well of patience, but this situation was starting to prove to be too much of a headache. He needed to deal with this one way or another immediately.

"I was informed she entered Suna, yes," he confirmed.

"Gaara… you went to Konoha, returned after spending just a day there when you were supposed to be there for a few days, and she immediately followed you back. You must realize how this looks. Did something happen between you two?"

"Matsuri… there is nothing to worry about. If there is anything to worry about, I would have told you already."

She sighed impatiently and Gaara felt his weariness getting to him. "Gaara… I love you."

That sentence surprised the hell out of him. He had known she liked him for a while, but they had never said this to each other before… and he wasn't quite at an I love you place yet.

"I-..." He trailed off with uncertainty.

"You don't have to say it back," She paced the room. "It's just… It was important to me that I was transparent in my feelings for you. Hinata said she regained some memories-"

"You talked to her already?" he narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure why that bothered him so much.

"Yes, I am your girlfriend aren't I? We are dating now, you can't be in limbo or uncertain. This is ridiculously painful for me and frankly I deserve better."

The indignation that had been blustering in his chest died a quick death at that. Yes… this was unfair. And he had come very close to being unfaithful to her in Konoha and some would argue based on semantics he had been unfaithful already. He looked away guiltily.

"So please if you care about me in any way at all, and want to have a future together send her away immediately. I don't want her to set foot in this country again."

"Isn-… Isn't that a bit dramatic?" he asked in shock as his stomach turned over.

"No… dramatic would be if I asked you to never see or speak to her again. I don't think this is a big ask."

"You want me to ban her visa to Sunagakure…. That is a big ask… As a Konoha dignitary, for her to be banned to an allied nation would make her life difficult."

"Well Gaara… you don't have to do it… but at least now you know where I stand" she said firmly, "and if you care about me, you know what you have to do." With that she turned around and left the room leaving Gaara with a massive headache.

.


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Sunagakure Desert Garden

As she got off the bus on the deserted road she could see the blistering heat reflected on the road in the form of a mirage. It was unbearably hot. She felt a bit of relief looking at the shaded tree grove inside the garden. Without delay Hinata purchased an agave cactus drink as well as a ticket to the garden before heading inside to explore.

As she stepped into the garden the air carried a warm, earthy scent mixed with the subtle fragrance of desert blooms. The garden was a mixture of colors and textures, harmoniously blending with the surrounding desert backdrop.

Clusters of majestic saguaro cacti stood tall, their arms reaching towards the clear blue sky, casting long shadows on the sandy soil. Their iconic silhouettes create a captivating focal point, commanding attention as visitors walked into the garden. Nestled among the cacti, there were displays of desert marigolds, their daisy-like blossoms flaunting hues of bright yellow and orange. They swayed gently in the breeze, a burst of color against the muted tones of the desert.

Nearby, a delicate lavender field released a soothing aroma that lingered in the paths winded through the garden, lined with smooth river stones and bordered by low-growing succulents with fleshy leaves and intricate patterns.

As she followed the meandering path, she come across a dry riverbed adorned with small pebbles and intermittent bursts of wildflowers. Stunning agave plants, with their sharp, spiky leaves, create sculptural focal points throughout the river bends. And large boulders were strategically placed, creating natural seating areas where one could pause and take in the serene surroundings. The vast expanse of the desert stretched on until it blended into the spectacular mountain ranges of Sunagakure western regions.

Hinata moved closer to the river and dug up a small hole in the ground in an area of land adjacent to the water where it would get some nourishing nutrients to survive. Then she planted the cacti she had brought along with her with particular care and attention.

As the sun began its descent, casting long shadows on the ground she continued to sit beside the plant admiring the seamless garden merging with the desert. It was around 7 PM when she sensed Gaara behind her.

She almost asked how did you find me, but… everything that happened in the capital was within Gaara's purview. Plus Matsuri probably had Suna anbu tailing her all day…

She memorized all the details of the garden into her memory before turning to face the Kazekage.

"Gaara" she smiled freely.

"Hinata" he nodded back. He didn't seem hostile or mad. And the area surrounding them of course was now empty, someone must have cleared it out.

"You came just in time for the sunset" she turned again to look at the horizon.

"Mmm," Gaara came to stand beside her. "I've seen countless desert sunsets by now, but they never stop being special."

"Yes… this really is a beautiful country."

Gaara hiked an eyebrow at that. She'd complained about Suna more than a handful of times in the last year.

"It just takes some getting used to," she teased and they both smiled looking at the setting sun.

She turned to go find a bench to sit on and Gaara followed.

"I know why you are here" she said maybe 10 minutes or so later as the shades of the sunset were turning into deeper oranges, vibrant purples and yellows.

"I figured you might," Gaara was still not looking at her.

"You are going to have to say it though," she looked down at her hands regretfully.

"Hinata… why did you come here?"

"I love you. Of course I came for you." She turned her body to face him, "After all we've been through, if this is truly the end for us don't you think we should look each other in the eyes?"

When he finally turned to face her she saw that his eyes contained a deep pain to match hers.

"Gaara we love each other" she said emphatically looking deep into his eyes.

"We did yes," he agreed, eyes burning. "That is why it hurts so much."

"We don't have to say goodbye, that is my point. We've been through a lot, we love - or loved, each other, we were engaged to be married, we were expecting a baby- '' her voice caught in her throat as her eyes clouded over.

And then he finally reached out taking her hands carefully into his. "Sakura told me," he murmured.

"Oh…." she blinked. "When did she tell you?"

"When you came back to sunagakure… after the attack, the night of the hospital when I was sleeping with you on the cot."

"Oh… I see," she nodded. "I- I" she sighed, " I was going to tell you after the mission" She looked away again, unable to talk about this while looking at him.

"I know Hinata…" he turned her face to him and smiled.

And for a few minutes they stared at each other basking in their shared grief, each on the verge of crying.

"I'm sure it-" his voice caught and whatever he had been about to say was gulped back down as they tightened each other's grips on their still intertwined hands.

Everything now felt laid out in front of them. No more secrets or misunderstandings but still a lot of love left. At least on her part. She didn't know what it was that he had been trying to say, because he didn't re-voice it.

After some time had passed she sighed feeling the inevitable weighing on her. "I planted a cacti in honour of our baby…" she pointed at the river bend. "Right there…make sure to come visit it from time to time."

Gaara looked at the spot she pointed to and nodded after a few seconds.

"I wish you and Matsuri well of course, but I can't lie I don't like her." she said matter of factly after a while wiping tears off her face.

Gaara nodded absorbing her words. He spoke after a few more minutes of silence.

"I'm going to revoke your visa to Sunagakure."

Hinata looked up at him in shock and confusion, not registering what he meant. She felt her heart officially fall to the pit of her stomach breaking into a thousand pieces as his meaning sank in. She knew it must have been requested by Matsuri and after her earlier conversation with the girl she couldn't say she blamed her. But this really really sucked.

She didn't reply back to Gaara. How much that had hurt her was evident in the air around them. She nodded wordlessly and withdrew her hands from his.

Due to her shock and numbness she didn't notice when he tightened his grip on her for an infinitesimal second before he let her go.

"I had to tell you that… it needed to come from me, not from a letter or official notice a few weeks from now" Gaara said in the way of an explanation and she nodded once more standing up.

If anything had solidified where they stood now that statement by Gaara just now had cemented things.

"I um.. I will leave tomorrow morning" she straightened her spine, now maintaining a distance from the Kazekage.

"You can stay in the compound tonight," he also stood up, now speaking in a more distant voice, realizing their interlude was over.

She wanted to decline his offer, but she knew he would refuse and they would then just belabor the point. So she thanked him for his kindness and turned to meet the Anbu who suddenly appeared to escort her back.

Her legs felt numb, her heart was beating a thousand miles per second and Hinata didn't turn back as she walked away.

.