A/N: Sorry for the stupid writer’s block…. I had to find some way to get over this. And so I made a li’l GaaSaku fic while I try to sort things out. I’m really sorry. I was kinda embarassed to post this at first since... I wasn't really satisfied with the result but since I have this strong urge to cevome active once again.. here goes!

This fic goes out to a friend of mine… she kinda inspired me with this one because of her obsession with, of course, Tare Panda. I'm sorry for making Gaara too OOC. But that's to be expected, right?

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I wouldn’t be making fictions, would I? And there will obviously be no crack pairings like these XD

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Tare Panda

mango soda

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As it had been on the many days of Sakura waking up on mornings, today was normal. Or so it was for her.

She yawned with mouth wide open, unembarrassed, scratched her bed hair and tidied it. Walking her way towards the bathroom, she stretched her arms and legs to prepare her for another new day to busy her with

Meanwhile, at another country far-away, the earliest person to rise (not that it meant he can sleep anyway) had been thinking of the said certain pink-haired medic who was readying herself for the day. Ever since he had parted from the country of Fire a month ago, all he could ever think was the disturbing image of his dear, loved one. No, not his siblings.

Who else it could it be?

D’oh.

In other words, he was missing her. Her face, her unusual yet beautiful pink locks, her rosy lips, the sing-song voice that would manage to calm him down even on his most troubling days, those shining, emerald orbs (the one that he likes best since it was what they shared in common), the times when she would pout at him, whine or even when she would scream her head off when busy nights inside the hospital haunted her.

He had promised her he would be back by the end of the next two months. It had only been a week before and he was already itching to see her again.

He knew it was wrong. Totally wrong. But he would admit it. He was obsessed. Obsessed with her.

From that time on, he understood perfectly well why he would often witness an army of drooling men whenever she would pass by. But now, it became less and less. He showed them—rather, he showed off to them how the kunoichi with the inhumane strength and seemingly ideal goddess was his. Absolutely his. Nothing would take that away from him. It was his throne and his to possess.

Massaging his temples, he read the paper in front of him, reading every single word aloud yet not understanding a single thing of it. Seeing as to how those bunch of words made no sense to him, he shook his head and rummaged through his drawer to pull out a frame. His lips quirked up into a small smile and his heart warmed instantly, making him calm and serene. As if those words even fit with Gaara.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his reverie and he immediately erased the small hint of a smile that enhanced the features of his handsome face.

“Come in.”

A brown-haired, petite woman peeked her head in. “Um, Kazekage-sama… I’m very sorry to disturb you but there is something important that you should be attending to.”

He sighed. “Very well, I shall come right along later.”

---

“Yeah, take these three times a day and I’m sure you will positively be a-okay in no time!” She handed a small bottle of pills to her patient.

“Thank you very much, Sakura-san. I appreciate it.”

“No problem.” She smiled warmly.

As she walked out of the room, she unintentionally overheard a couple of guys talking among each another—about her.

“Sakura-san really is nice, isn’t she?”

“I wouldn’t mind being confined in here for years as long as she takes care of me!”

The other guy chocked up a chuckle.

“Save that for your dreams. You know you’ll never have a chance with charming and nice Sakura-san. Especially when she’s got the Kazekage of Suna with her.”

They both laughed.

Sakura reddened. People never really had enough of spreading rumors.

She sighed as her giggle subsided and her thoughts finally roamed to… Gaara.

It had been a month now and she ever wondered if he had missed her. But then, as she thought it over again... it didn’t seem to match him. Being the Kazekage, it meant too many workload and sleepless nights (again, it doesn’t seem he sleeps anyway). There would absolutely be no time for him to be thinking about her and his coming back was due until next month.

She sighed again, knowing he would no longer be there for her when she needed him the most.

---

If he was a child, he would have been biting his nails in anxiousness. But he was not. And he wasn’t any normal kid anyway. So he sat there, brows furrowed in deep thinking: he was in a very serous mode.

The minute the secretary announced to him the next meeting of the council, his eyes widened in a very strange manner. Never in history had Gaara, the Kazekage of Suna, cold as ice (except when it comes to Sakura, obviously) and stoic as stone had ever—ever been and looked very alarmed.

Until now, that is.

He ordered the woman out of the room immediately and rummaged for that damned calendar he thought he threw months ago. And there it was and he felt blessed to have it again… ironically. Once everything seemed to register in his head, he gulped.

No way.

There was no way.

In a few days’ time, it would be the most awaited time of his month.

Wait, let me rephrase that part.

It was the most awaited time of their month.

What is it, you say?

Of course, it was none other than… their very first anniversary.

---

She rolled on her bed, trying to her close her eyes and drift to sleep. But no, sleep did not want to claim here. It wanted to torture her instead. Apparently, she had been debating whether she should go visit her Kazekage over the next country or stay and bawl her eyes out in Konoha and die in thinking thoughts of him.

She frowned.

It was near.

The 10th of April was nearing.

She had been very excited and sad at the same time.

If it wasn’t for his workload in the Country of Suna, he could’ve been there with her, his arms wrapped around her lithe body as they made the most of their limited time together.

But Fate was too cruel.

And Sakura even wondered how the hell Hyuuga Neji of the Branch House had even believed and kept up with Fate. It was an obvious kill-joy.

Nevertheless her thoughts still wandered on him… and his present.

---

He paced to and fro his elegant and majestic room, searching for some way he could do to celebrate their little commemoration without even leaving his workplace. It was hard for him on his part, though. He wasn’t sentimental, nor was he the kind of guy who is over-romantic and sappy. Then the idea struck him like thunder, stopping him in his tracks and then hitting him like a rock being thrown in his face when he finally realized… it was really stupid of him to make trouble of it when he… he could just give her a present!

At the same time, another rock figuratively threw itself on his face. What present to give her?

And there it was—the great and apparently, shallow, problem he kept on thinking too hard for.

---

It was the 8th. 2 days before the appointed date she had planned to rejoice—alone.

No matter how lonely it sounded it was reality she had to face. She promised to be strong for him and that is what she is supposed to be doing.

She nodded with enthusiasm, a new kind of determination appearing all over her façade. I will not get lonely! She said to herself.

It seemed too hard to bear but it’s all for the best, she thought.

She skipped towards the hospital, the almost 2nd home of her life, thinking of her plans for tomorrow.

---

The image of Sakura being alone on the 10th burdened him. He did not like it, in other words. When they first came together, he secretly declared an oath that he would protect her—and make her happy at all times. Now seemed the worst time to fulfill it.

A walk outside seems the best, he thought to himself.

With hands behind his back and a proud head held high he started his walk.

The sun being at its highest that day, it was scorching hot, dripping beads of sweat squeezed out of his pale forehead, but he did not seem to care, anyway. He walked aimlessly, until a group of children came running towards him.

“Kazekage-sama!” a little girl cutely called to him. Two or more children came up to him, tugging his robes.

They giggled and laughed and ran circles around him, singing a chorus of “Kazekage-sama!” while doing so.

In a weird way, it seemed to calm him, and even managed to make him let out a small smile.

A girl in pigtails holding a stuff toy came up to him and said, “Kazekage-sama, why is your hair red?”

Then another said, “Kazekage-sama why is your eyes green?”

Then another, “Why is Kazekage-sama so tall?”

A woman caught one of the children’s shoulders and said softly, “Oh my, I’m very sorry to have them bothering you Kazekage-sama, these troublesome little children just don’t know when to quit.” Then she laughed softly.

“No, it is alright.” He replied.

“Come on, children we must not get in the way of the Kazekage’s—“

Then he spotted something. Something that made his heart skip a beat.

Well, not really.

“Wait.”

They all stopped.

“That.” He pointed to the object one of the children was holding.

Their eyes seemed to follow where his finger pointed at.

It was a panda.

A panda?

Why did a mere stuff toy in the appearance of a panda seemed to… what was the word…. Bother him?

“Gaara…’ The voice inside him slurred. ‘You know you look so much like a panda!’

And there it was.

The inspiration.

---

“Hahahahahahah!” He laughed so loudly that anyone who could have passed by would think he was a madman on the loose.

He gripped his stomach and wiped a tear that formed in his eye.

“Seriously Gaara, is this a joke? Cause you know… it worked!” Then he laughed again.

“It. Is. Not. A. Joke.” The Kage said through gritted teeth.

The last of his laughs subsided and he finally said, “It wasn’t?’

“It’s not.”

They stared blankly at each other for a few moments.

“It’s not?”

He glared at him.

Kankurou stood up from his chair and faced his younger brother.

“Really Gaara, of all the gifts you had to give…” he tried to stifle another laugh.

“Listen, if you’re not going to try and give me any advice… I might as well---“

“Okay, Okay I’m sorry! It’s just that… a Tare Panda!” It almost looked as if he could roll on the floor. “If it was a rose I could understand, but—“

Gaara sulked.

Just Kidding.

He made a scowling face at him, which at the minute he did it stopped Kankurou from continuing any further.

“Hey, if you want to run to her. Do it.”

“What?”

“You can’t leave because of us right?”

Gaara paused… secretly admitting what he said was true.

“If you really want to… go…” He persuaded slowly.

Gaara peered at the window and pondered for a moment.

---

She lit the candles carefully and blew the fire from the stick out.

She sighed as she contentedly sat down on her comfy chair.

Well, not really.

She prepared a lovely meal for two even if she knew he would not be there.

As she started to pick up her fork and twirl it around the long strand of spaghetti, a knock at the door startled her.

“Who could it be?” she said to no one.

The knock became furious and pounded impatiently.

“Okay! Okay! I’m coming!”

She swung the door open… only to find no one.

A cold wind blew past her, making her shiver.

It couldn’t be…

A ghost, right?

She looked from left to right. She crossed her fingers and was about to close her door when—

A cute, small, stuff toy in the appearance of a panda showed itself to her.

“Ah…. Wha?”

She picked it up, excitement flowing through her. It couldn’t be from…. But it was!

There was a card left beside the toy saying, “Sakura.”

It was no more than single word yet it made her jump in glee and she squealed in delight.

The sender was unknown, but totally obvious.

She hugged it close, realizing it was the same scent as of him. Maybe he had hugged it too? Then she remembered the first time she called Gaara a panda.

She laughed to herself.

He really did take it seriously.

The thought of him remembering their anniversary and sending her such a memorable present was all it took to end her day happy. She knew he wasn’t any person who loved to give gifts to women. And she didn’t think he was an expert either. Her heart softened as she mused about him. She looked into the panda’s eyes and squealed again. Gaara and the toy definitely looked alike!

She giggled fan-girlishly and skipped down the hall to her living room. By then she noticed all the candles’ flames were out… for no reason at all.

“Eh?”

She clutched her Panda as tight as she can and waited…

“Missed me lots?”

She jumped in surprise but a firm hand held in her in place. The soft and measured breaths he puffed out tickled her neck and a pair of arms slid down her waist, cradling her.

She purred in bliss.

“But you… I thought you…”

“Ssshhh…” he silenced her.

She chuckled.

“Eh? Now you’re getting romantic?” She cunningly commented.

He snorted.

“You like it?”

“Like wha-? Ahhh… Of course! Why wouldn’t I?”

She embraced the charming creature in her arms, showing him how much it meant to her.

“Ah... I knew you would.” He smiled.

“Ne, if Tare Panda said he would like to eat dinner with us… would you say yes?”

“I wouldn’t consider no for an answer…”

And he gave her the sweetest kiss they ever shared.

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waaa...! I know! I know! You hate it! I'm really nervous right now... so you could tell me what you thought of it and click the blue or purple button down there... shivers and sobs