Authors note: God, this took me FOREVER to put up, But I did!3 And amazingly enough I'm happy w/it!

This is my own little cheesey Garaa/Hina oneshot, It's my own personal pairing that would look adorable, but, whatev. Things happen. and this is my way of telling it.

Also just for routine's sake, I do not own the story nor any of the characters from the animated series/ Manga series 'Naruto'.

Desert Rose

By:Kreative Kathryn

Oh god, how long had it been NOW

Oh god, how long had it been NOW??

"Hinata- san, will you tell me what time it is?" I asked politely, but I felt myself smirk all the same as I lifted my wrist to her eye level and I could feel the mad blush from there.

Heat RADIATED off her face as opalescent eyes activated the byakugan. It was unfair on her part, I knew perfectly well, what time it was, and I could see just as well, but Hina-chan didn't know this now did she??

It was my small and insecure way of being close to her, the ONLY way I knew of being close, conversational. She finally spluttered "I-It's s-six o'clock G-Gaara-kun, we've b-been here for t-t-two hours"

Good god, TWO hours? Already? It really didn't feel like I had been in that cramped five by five closet for two hours.

But It was probably different on her part, except for the brief intervals where I would ask the time, we had remained silent. Honestly I was content being just that, just by BEING with her, but I could never tell her that. It was perfectly well known that she was frightened beyond imagining of me. Even I can tell, by the way she avoids me at all costs. But what was even more well known then that, was that she had a THING For the odd Kyubi boy. I never understood it, so I never looked into it, or divulged into my emotions. Why open myself to someone who only had feelings for the Kyubi?

Suddenly her angel face looked up at mine and she said "G-Gaara-kun? How did you end up here?"

God, that'sright, it was all HIS fault, that incompetent brother of mine. I could feel my eyes roll into the back of my head at the mere thought of him as I started to explain. "Well, while temari, Kankuro and I were in our Inn room, Temari wanted some sorta special juice. I don't know why? But she insisted upon it. She threatened to leave the city before our assignment was done if we didn't get it." I paused to analyze her reaction, To the story and to me.

In a ditch effort to get attention from her I had trained myself to BECOME more social, to not frighten her away if I ever got the chance to talk to her when she wasn't already running form me.

But, all wasn't in vain, for as I watched her, her eyes grew wide in shock, weather from the story or the story teller I didn't know. All I knew was that I was the center of her attention at the moment. I almost Actually laughed, ALMOST, but refrained from doing so. No, not here, not now. No emotions, your the only one who'll get hurt.

I continued with my story describing Kankuro's ineptitude. "So Kankuro being the inept imbecile he is found a way to spill the juice. Which just so happens to stain most known materials fairly quickly. So they sent me here to find some sort of cleaner to get it out. Then you obviously know the rest." I watched her intently and thought of the irony that she of all people would happen to, on accident get stuck in a closet with me. Then I actually wondered, I eyed her curiously, because she had reminded my of a very interesting question. How HAD she come to be in this EXACT closet?

When this question was actually voiced aloud, her features turned a flattering rose color that actually brought out her eyes. At this I felt it in my chest as it lurched painfully, that stain would never cross her face for me, no matter how much I wanted it. But I forced my emotions to wane yet again. Calm down and listen to her story.

And for once, when she spoke, no unwanted stuttering diverted my ears from her melodic voice.

And it was unnerving how a person could make me feel this way, How she could make me react. I went lightheaded at her voice and It sent chills down my spine that I was not at all accustomed to. But I didn't react to the story, no not that at all. Anything involving her and the Kyubi boy in contact just sent another weight crashing into my stomach.

As her story began it started with why she was even working at the Inn if she was at the ninja academy all those years ago. I chuckled to myself as I thought of her back then, such a small girl, and with so much courage for someone so shy and timid. But she had changed within the five years since I first saw her. Her hair had grown long and she had stopped using those bothersome breast bindings. (Which I silently acknowledged god for a moment and thanked him immensely for this.) She had also grown taller, though not by much. Just enough for her body to produce perfect curves in her young state. But I shook my head vigorously, I was so glad It was dark right now, if not I think we both would have been blushing.

Okay calm down, just listen to the story, And ignore those god damned tight curves.

I listened almost what seemed like I was enraptchored while focusing on anything but the thought of how she had changed physically in the past few years. I turned out that she had this job because she had no interest of being a ninja all along. She was actually saving up for supplies for an apprenticeship that she wanted. The real shocker came when she admitted blushing that she wanted an apprenticeship with Hokage Tsunade, But that's far from the point of how she ended up here.

Turns out Uzamaki had made a mess in his room (Real big surprise) and asked Hinata-chan to clean it up.

I felt my fists tighten at the sound of his name, and without thought, without thinking of the consequences I asked my next question quite insensitively. It was instinctive on my part, I couldn't help it, it just leapt from me. Like some hidden unknown part of me secretly wanted to know, was secretly hoping it wasn't true, which there was I might add. But all the same I blurted it out "Hinata-san, do you like Naruto-kun?" As soon as the question escaped my lips I instantly regretted it, seeing Hinata's face go red and her eyes widen unable to answer the unexpected question.

I felt a blush creep onto my own cheeks as I started to mumble my apologies. "I'm sorry, that was a personal question, I was being careless. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." From the stunned silence that permeated the air I didn't need to hear it. The damage was done, and from this day forward I would not ever bother her again. I would not haunt her thoughts ever from this moment on. I would watch her, there was no doubt of that, but farther away than ever before. From that distance I would watch her like always, see her grow, come to love another and eventually start a family. Except this time as I looked at her, it would be from such a distance even she would eventually forget me. Leaving me with her face just as it is now, forever 17 in my mind with a ghost of a smile playing on her lips.

Yet, she did something unexpected, after a moment she looked up at me and said "Gaara-kun, I don't like Naruto-kun like that anymore. Besides he's been dating Sakura-chan for over two years right about now." Then she muttered to herself, bearley audible but, I still understood it. "Also I like someone else. I just don't know how they feel." I felt IT flutter again for a moment, it happened often though only around her, but still, because of that I treasured it all the more.

I looked into her wide pale eyes and saw my own reflecting back. I tried to keep my voice casual as I talked, yet felt it thundering in my chest. "Why do you say that, Hina-kun?"

Her blush deepened, whether from the change in honorifics or the question, I didn't know. She answered the question all the same. "Well, he's always s-so distant from me, and he acts so apathetic. I mean, he acts that way around most, but I just can't tell what he thinks of me."

Hey, I'm not that apathetic, wait, she's not talking about me. Snap out of it. I looked at her and said, "I'm sure he thinks you're beautiful." I know I do.

She blushed, almost as though she could hear that last thought but replied, "Thank you, Gaara-kun, you're too kind. He's beautiful though, even if I were pretty it would be like putting a daisy next to a rose. There would be nothing to argue of which is better."

I thought of this for a moment, so she likes someone who is cool-natured and handsome to boot. That's when I thought I would start to dry heave. Kami, don't tell me she's fallen in love with that Uchiha boy! All the same I swallowed it down and said, "A rose may be beautiful, but every rose has its thorns. There's no risk in picking that daisy. And it's just equally beautiful in its own way."

If I thought it wasn't possible for Hinata-chan's face to turn redder, I was proved wrong. Somehow she managed it.

She looked away saying, "You shouldn't say such things, Gaara-kun. It's not nice to tease girls like that." And with that she stood up, going to the door and turning the knob vigorously to try to open it, but to no avail. I saw what I thought was a sparkle of a tear in her eyes and stood behind her, pressing her back into my chest and bent low enough to whisper in her ear, "And what if I meant it, Hina-chan?"

Even though her body was the perfect mold to mine, she stiffened when she heard what I said. Had I given myself away? Well, I would find out once and for all, and I would either be the happiest or most miserable man within the next couple of minutes.

"What did you say?" I stared at her, confused, and started to recite the line again when she interrupted me. "No, I mean what did you call me?" She swiveled around and looked at me desperately, but I said it all the same. "Hina-chan."

She bent her head low and said, "I have a confession myself, but you have to promise not to laugh."

I looked at her, "Why would I laugh?"

She glazed up at me with a frenzied desperation, "Please promise not to hate me if I tell you!"

She was crying by now and I would have said anything in the world to make her stop. So I promised repeatedly, over and over, but it only seemed to drive her into hysterics as she tried to speak.

Finally, she broke down crying. "Gaara-kun, you're that apathetic boy! You're that handsome man, you are my rose!" She broke down crying and repeated the same thing over and over. "Please don't hate me, please Gaara."

I felt it again in my chest, except this time it wasn't a flutter, it hammered. It pounded so hard that it hurt. I clutched at my chest and bent over from the pain, my eyes held unshed tears but I didn't notice. All I could hear was that angel voice speaking to me. "Gaara? Gaara! Are you okay? Please, I know you hate me by now, but I can help! Please tell me what is wrong."

I looked in her eyes and she had almost stopped crying, the only tears that remained were that strayed from her eyes, that were now filled with concern. For me.

On the crazy pain, on that crazy impulse I lifted my face and pressed my lips against hers, hard. It was almost as though I was trying to show her how the pain felt. It was strange, in that moment, I realized how much better this was than all of those stupid daydreams, her lips were soft and had a sweet lingering taste on mine as I pulled away.

As I did, she gave me a questioning look, almost as if asking why I did it. I looked into her eyes, still bent over from the lingering ache, and pleaded for her to give me an answer. "Why? Why does it hurt so much? It's always when you're around, yet I looked for you because of it. What's wrong with me? Am I a masochist or something?"

She laughed. Hearing those bells ringing in my head again made the ache ebb away and a fluttering feeling laced through my stomach and spread through me like fire. She was laughing and crying at the same time. For a moment I thought I had drove her to insanity, but she turned and hugged me around my middle. She nuzzled her face into my chest and whispered the five words that would change my life, "A heart's a heavy burden."

She smiled up at me, and realizing what these feelings were and what they meant, I bent down and kissed her again, holding her face in my cupped hands. I tried to stay calm, but I couldn't, I littered kisses across her face, her forehead, her neck, anywhere I could reach. It was an indescribable elation that filled me and I never wanted it to stop. She loved me, ME! Kami, How I'd waited so long to taste her, to feel her, to be able to know what she felt. It was like nothing that words can describe. I felt happy tears form in my eyes as I said for the first time in my life, "I love you."

She giggled, "I love you too, Gaara."

A thrill went through me as she spoke my name. Just my name. As I bent down to kiss her again, the door burst open.

"I TOLD YOU KANKURO, BELIEVE IT!"

My brother just smirked, came up to me and clapped me on the shoulder. "Good job, Gaara. Knew you had it in you!"

I felt a vein popping out of my neck, So this was all your stupid idea?"

He shrugged, "Nah, Naruto came up with it. Temari and I just helped."

"Temari was in this too?" I growled.

"Had to get you two hooked up somehow," he laughed. "The whole village knew!"

"Which one?" I had a sour taste in my mouth, "Konoha or Suna?"

That's when Kyuubi-boy popped up, as animated as ever, and grinned. "Both! BELIEVE IT!"

For a moment I was angry, but I calmed down and actually hugged Kankuro. I felt his body stiffen in shock but he hugged me back. "Good job, Gaara, I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Kankuro...for everything."

But with that moment passed, I pulled away, "But if you ever try pulling that again, I'll kill you." I gotta say, saying it that brightly really did the trick. As I was leaving I thought I heard Naruto offering my brother his house as a hiding spot.I felt a deep warm chuckle rise in me as I kissed her yet again, kami I hoped these kisses would never stop being this amazing.

But, I didn't haer anything that went on around meI didn't care though, I was holding her closely pressed against me. I had my daisy, and she had me. I was her rose, no matter how many thorns, she chose me over the Uzumaki daisy. I was hers and hers alone. I was her desert rose.

Yup that's it! Thankyou for reading! It's much appreciated. Remember, Comments are kind, Constructive Critisism, Kinder!

Thankyou again for reading, Hope you enjoyed it,

Kreative