"I am considering it," Gaara informed his brother.
Kankuro's mouth dropped open. Was it that surprising? "You're serious?"
Gaara's gaze hardened. Had he ever told a joke in his life? Of course, he was serious.
"Well, it's just that… the council's been pushing women at you since you came of age, and you've never shown any interest before." Yes, he was pressured to marry. Gaara agreed to meet every woman they picked out, with the clarification that meeting them did not mean he agreed to an arrangement. He only agreed to that much because Naruto suggested it might be a good idea.
The Suna women presented were attractive and powerful in personal power or politics. All had a level of confidence above their worth. They made assumptions and talked as if they knew who he was and what he had gone through. It didn't anger him as much as he found it annoying. Gaara didn't enjoy being talked to mindlessly.
It was surprising they found women interested. Most of the selection was older than him, some by more than a decade. He matured quickly by force, so he could understand why they would push older women, but why would older women want him? They would remember when he had no control and was at his worst. He didn't understand the appeal.
"Those women weren't interesting." Hinata possessed none of the attributes he was raised to see as attractive, yet he found her attractive. Her pale skin stood out next to his sister, pale like his. It flushed with color for reasons he didn't understand. She was frequently 'embarrassed' by things he said. It was fascinating to see her change emotions. He didn't understand how he had caused it. Naruto called it 'adorable,' though Gaara wasn't sure how that differed from what he said about his medic. He considered it a positive comment.
Hyuga eyes were hard to read, yet she was endlessly expressive. They widened and shrank extensively, watering when she was upset. Her cheeks reddened, her fingers fiddled, and her lips fidgeted with particular topics. She was so unlike him. Yet, no matter how non-expressive he was, she understood what he was thinking, like she could read him.
"And she is?" Kankuro asked.
"Yes." Hinata was endlessly fascinating like he recently found small creatures to be. Easily frightened, yet naively fearless, spooked by falling objects, yet, she willingly spent a whole day with him, not once looking scared. Even when he insulted her, she was upset by his implication but not frightened of his aura and stance. Hinata was an abnormality. She was genuine in every way. She didn't lie. Just simply avoided the subjects she didn't want him to know about.
"When I met her, Temari and I thought she might be good for you, but we didn't consider you would want to marry her." Kankuro looked off the side, thinking.
Kankuro hadn't set up the tour because her father suggested it? "What do you mean?"
"Well, it was how Hinata looked at you when she spoke about you. She has a unique opinion on the tailed beast." Kankuro explained. "She said something like, 'It wasn't fair that you were punished like monsters because you didn't choose to be vessels.' I've never heard it put quite that way. She looks at you like you were abused, not like an abuser that righting his ways." He sighed. "I should have been thinking of it more like that."
Hinata not being scared of him made a lot more sense now. "She does not perceive me as a monster," Gaara repeated in thought. Shukaku protested that it wasn't possible, but Hinata had surprised him so far.
Gaara wanted Naruto's opinion on the situation. "She said that?" Naruto smiled. "It does sound like her."
"It does?" Gaara dug for information.
"Yeah, she's never mad, really forgiving, and sweet. I accidentally hit her in the face once, and she apologized." So Hinata wasn't just doing it because he was Kage. It was a personality trait.
"I'm considering marrying her," Gaara was unprepared for his reaction.
Naruto's mouth hung open dramatically and stood up. "What?! Marry her?!" Naruto yelled in his face. "You didn't even tell me you liked her!"
Was this information upsetting? Gaara couldn't tell if this was outrage or Naruto's usual overreaction.
"Wait! Didn't you just meet her a couple of days ago? When did you have time to decide you liked her?" Naruto's face was lit up in a happy little, romantic world.
Gaara almost didn't want to crush it, but he would. "Her father has only recently asked if I was interested. The Suna council has also shown interest in me marrying. It seemed like a logical step."
Naruto's face dropped, as did the rest of him. "Oh, I forgot they were making her do that, but I mean, do you like her?"
"She is one of the more tolerable women I have spent time with," Gaara vaguely knew what his friend was asking, but he wasn't sure how you could tell. He hardly understood this friendship or his new, less hostile relationships with his siblings. It made sense he wouldn't understand the concept of being interested in someone romantically.
"I guess that is a plus." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "If you're serious about this, I guess I can be behind it, but be careful with Hinata-chan. She's really sweet and gets attached to things," Naruto shrunk into his chair. "And she won't tell you till it's too late to do anything about it."
Gaara hated indirectness. There was a story attached to that comment. "What do you mean?"
Naruto looked embarrassed for the first time Gaara had ever seen. "Back when they decided this whole thing, she came to me and told me she was letting me go."
"What?" That made no sense. They were still friends.
"Hinata-chan had this long-standing crush on me and never said anything. I didn't know, but apparently, everyone else did. But, since I'm not Hyuga material, she had no reason to keep it from me anymore. She looked miserable for weeks. She still doesn't look at me the same. She wouldn't even let me answer whether I returned her feelings or not because it didn't matter." Naruto lost his height as he slumped into his chair.
If Hinata liked Naruto romantically, that explained her 'soft spot' for the tailed beast Kankuro cited.
"Did you return them?" Gaara wasn't going to marry her if he did. From what he understood about relationships, that was bad.
"I never really thought about it. I like Sakura-chan. I never considered Hinata-chan. She's a great friend. I don't want to overthink it because developing feelings now wouldn't be fair to her." So Naruto didn't like her romantically before, and he was going to make an effort not to, to not hurt her feelings. Was that what it took to develop those feelings? Just think about it? That didn't sound right, but Gaara had been wrong before.
Gaara didn't know what the etiquette was for any of this. "Do you think I should marry her?"
"That's up to you and her. Just take care of her. If you don't, I won't forgive you if you hurt her." Naruto straightened, challenging him.
Gaara hadn't been violent to civilians in years. "I have no reason to harm her."
"No, not like that, hurt her feelings. She gets upset easily, but definitely, don't do it on purpose." Naruto explained.
That made more sense, though Gaara already hurt her that way.
"Marry Hinata?" The Hokage matched the look of shock on his sister's face.
Gaara crossed his arms, glaring at them. "I don't see why everyone is repeating things I say."
"It's just out of the blue, Gaara. You haven't even tried to like the girls the council set you up with." Temari reasoned.
"Yes, I have already had that conversation with Kankuro." If he was just going to repeat conversations, Gaara was going to stop informing people. He should get to the point. "From what I understand, she is required to marry, and I have also received pressure. Suna wants a direct tie to Konoha. Her father has made a specific offer."
"Have you asked her?" Tsunade suddenly became more interested.
"Hinata has voiced no concerns with having to court me." Temari covered her mouth to hide her amused face. Gaara didn't understand what was funny.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. Wasn't that an insult to intelligence? "No, have you asked her to marry you?"
"It's an arranged marriage." And Hinata knew her father was pushing it.
Both women made faces of distaste. "Perfect reason to at least give her a choice. Hinata doesn't get many choices in her life. If you are so sure she is fine with it, get her a ring and ask her." Tsunade crossed her arms. "She says yes, I'll give you my blessing and will help with the legations."
Temari agreed. "I know you aren't a romantic, but think of the poor girl."
"I am not familiar with engagement customs in Konoha." Gaara realized.
"You present a ring and ask," Temari answered. Hinata touched on the concept of engagement rings in passing when Kankuro asked at a jewelry shop. Personalized ones were something to be valued over the expense.
"How do you know?" Tsunade's grin told him he was missing something.
Temari turned red. "Oh, studying customs."
Tsunade rolled her eyes again. "Get her a ring, take her somewhere she likes, and ask nicely." She advised. "She will appreciate it."