Lights enshrined in paper lanterns. The frigid desert winds. A clear sky, pallid moon. Shops selling different fishes and meats, rare treats for kids.
And a ramen stand in the middle of it all.
Kankurou screeches, "What are you doing here?!"
"Hey Mascara. What do you mean, 'what am I doing here'? What does it look like? I'm selling ramen."
Gaara steps in front of his volatile brother, "I thought you only ate ramen."
Gaara is wearing plain gray robes. He doesn't wear the Kazekage hat. He's not so short anymore.
"Heh, I love ramen, but I've yet to meet someone with a love of ramen greater than mine. That's why I'm here."
"So where's Temari? Isn't she with you? Or does she have a boyfriend?"
Kankurou explodes in laughter, "Temari? A boyfriend?"
Gaara hits him over the head, and speaks in his usual monotone, "She is here. Right below you."
Sure enough, there she is. Her nose in one customer's ramen.
Sniff sniff.
"Hmm..." she mumbles.
The patron is long gone, having seen Gaara approach the stand.
Temari, dressed in a thin white sleeveless dress, lowers her head so it is eye level with the bowl. She spends several seconds staring at the concoction before dipping a finger in the warm body and peeling loose a single noodle– which she further inspects like an expert jewel cutter.
Naruto watches this all with an expression of equal immersion.
Long silken legs, the top of her bust exposed, intense lavender eyes...
"I never realized it before, but Gaara's sister is really pretty. It'd only be way too awesome if she turned out to be a ramen fan like me–"
Temari finally comes to a conclusion.
She looks up at him, "Pretty good,"
"So you're into ramen, Temari-chan?"
She shakes her head, "Food. Plants. Medicine. I can tell good ramen like I can tell good steak or calamari."
Naruto moans, "Damn. You looked pretty serious too."
She smirks and then says, "We'll have some ramen."
"You will?"
Kankurou, "We will?"
Gaara glares at him.
"Of course we will, I mean– if Temari wants some ramen, why not all of us? I mean... heh..."
Gaara is a very slow eater, so Kankurou and Temari wander off long before he's finished eating.
Despite being the Kazekage, Gaara is still feared by his people. It isn't good for Naruto's business. No one else orders ramen from him that night.
But he takes it in stride– it's Gaara afterall. Not his fault.
Sighing, Naruto grows sick of the silence– the desert wind. Sand everywhere. The festival's not lively at all!
"So how's the ramen?"
Gaara slurps a noodle and looks up, "Terrible."
Huh?
"W-Wait. It's terrible? I thought Temari-chan said she liked it–"
Gaara shrugs, "I do not like most food. Temari says I am 'picky'."
"But you're eating it..."
"It's yours."
Naruto shakes his head, smiling wryly.
"I guess so. Maybe that's my problem?"
"Perhaps. You should not use another's recipe, however."
"Heh, Gaara, you know, you aren't so bad–"
"You would probably screw it up."
Naruto laughs. Did Gaara just trick him?
A pleasant mood between them.
"Naruto."
"Hmm? What?"
"I would not oppose you, if you wished my sister's hand in marriage," |