Infected

Chapter 25: Gaara's Eligibility

The sky turned gray as Gaara surveyed the clouds rolling by his office window. Rain was a rare occurrence in the desert and many people had put up large tarps in hopes to catch some of the coming storm. His work waited for him on his desk, but he couldn't seem to muster up the energy to tackle it. What Mizu had said to him last night weighed heavily on his mind. He hadn't meant to mention marriage; they hadn't even known each other very long, but wasn't dating meant to lead to that, eventually?

"A-are you feeling alright, Lord Kazekage?" Hana set a fresh cup of tea onto his desk.

Temari had left her alone for the last half of the day which meant the girl was more capable than he thought.

"I'm not feeling ill, why do you ask?" Gaara watched the girl shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.

Is she afraid of me?

"It's just... you look a little down. Is there... something on your mind? Ah! N-never mind, it's inappropriate of me to ask the Kazekage that." She pulled on her ponytail as her eyes kept darting to him then away again.

"Something on my mind... Isn't dating meant as courting for marriage?" Gaara mumbled under his breath.

Hana looked at him surprised, and her cheeks flushed a light pink.

Gaara realized he'd let the question slip. "Ah, it's nothing. Forget I said anything."

"L-Lord K-Kazekage," she stuttered. "I don't know if everyone sees it that way anymore... but I think so too. You shouldn't ask someone out unless you aren't interested in marriage later."

"Huh."

Gaara didn't particularly like her answer. Does that mean we're not dating seriously then? I was serious when I told her how I felt and I thought she felt similar, but maybe I'm getting a head of myself. Why does Mizu not want to get married again or... is it she doesn't want to marry me? He couldn't focus and stood up from his chair much to Hana's surprise.

"I'm going home for the day. Let Temari know," Gaara explained as he headed for the door.

"Huh? Ah, Lord Kazekage!"

He was already down the hall and out the door. Stopping in the street, he looked down the road to his house, even though he said he was going home he didn't really feel like it. A drop of rain landed on his head. As he gazed upward, the sky opened up. Kids screamed with excitement and played in the rain while others gathered at their windows to watch. Some set buckets outside to catch it. Gaara meandered around the village, barely paying attention to where he was going. By the time he checked his surroundings he was halfway across the village. Walking into a park, he sat down on a bench and watched the rain. It soaked his hair and down his back seeping into his clothes.

"Lord Kazekage?"

Mizu approached him, wearing her big straw hat and green cloak, which was better protection against the onslaught than Gaara's desert clothing. She was holding a basket full of different herbs.

"What are you doing sitting in the rain?" She laughed at him, but he stared at her blankly. "Gaara?"

Standing he took the basket from her and his sand came up to block out the rain over the both of them. It didn't move easily since the sand was soaked, but if it was just to make a small overhang, it would hold.

"If you could have done that before why didn't you?" She tried to tease him again, but he kept his eyes to the ground.

They stood in silence, no one was around which made the rain feel more ethereal.