FicWad

Prologue:
Kankuro stared at his brother from across the Kazekage’s desk. Gaara was going through papers, stopping every once in a while to rub his eyes or head and sigh. Kankuro was fascinated. Even though it had been years since Gaara’s personality had taken a turn for the better after his fight with that Uzumaki brat and since Shukaku had been extracted Kankuro still found the sight of Gaara peacefully working away incredibly interesting.
Gaara sighed once more before looking up at his older brother, who was staring at him from the chair on the other side of his desk.
“What do you want Kankuro?” Gaara asked. Even though he was no longer a cold-blooded killer Gaara was still not the most sociable creature.
Kankuro was spared the pain of explaining himself when Temari barged in, arms full of yet more scrolls for Gaara to go through.
Gaara looked up at her with pleading eyes, but she just laughed and dumped them on her younger brother’s desk before dropping into the chair next to Kankuro.
“What’s up with you?” Temari asked Kankuro casually.
“Not much. Got another date with that girl from the market tonight,” Kankuro shrugged.
“Getting serious?” Temari asked hopefully.
“Nah, I’m not ready for commitment, not for a long while,” Kankuro grinned. “I’m a free spirit; places to go, things to see, people to do...”
Temari lightly slapped her brother on his arm. “You’re impossible,” she said in a voice that let you know that this argument was old and she was resigned to her fate as the older sister of a pervert.
Gaara looked up from his paperwork and cleared his throat. “Ahem. Some people are trying to work here,” he said a little petulantly.
His older siblings ignored him as they continued to chat about their love lives.

Finally Gaara closed the book he’d been skimming through with a loud snap that made Temari and Kankuro jump in their seats, and then slowly turn their heads to face him, wide-eyed.
“As fascinating as your social lives are, I am trying to finish up this paperwork, so if you wouldn’t mind carrying this conversation elsewhere...” Gaara intoned, staring at his siblings with his patented death glare.
Unfortunately, the death glare had lost its effectiveness on his irritating siblings due to extreme overuse. Temari waved her hand at him in a shooing gesture while Kankuro just burst out laughing – again.
Seriously, what was the point in being Kazekage if your own siblings wouldn’t even listen to you?
“Gaara you need to get a social life,” Temari said in that ‘I’m-your-older-sister-and-I-know-what’s-best-for-you-so-listen-to-me-okay?’ tone of voice. “All you ever do lately is work.”
Kankuro’s eyes lit up – it was obvious he had just come up with an incredibly genius idea (at least in his eyes).
Gaara, however, elected to ignore his brother and respond to Temari’s comment. “That’s because there’s a lot of work to be done,” he grumbled. “Being Kazekage isn’t exactly easy you know.”
“You know what he really needs?” Kankuro decided to chime in, unable to contain his glee at his great idea.
“What?” Temari asked, turning back to face him with obvious interest.
“He needs a girl,” Kankuro said matter-of-factly.
Gaara’s eyes shot up from the book he’d gone back to perusing.
“What?” he squawked.
“Actually, Kankuro might have a good point here...” Temari said thoughtfully.
“Of course I do. All you need to do is get laid and all that tension you’re carrying around will just go awa- OW!” Kankuro shrieked, cut off by a whack on the head from Temari’s fan.
“That’s not what I meant,” Temari said, glaring at Kankuro angrily. “Gaara’s old enough that he should be looking for a wife.”
Silence greeted her as her two younger brothers stared at her as if she’d just said that Shukaku had really been a friendly old demon who never did anyone any harm.
“B-but your both older than me – and you’re not married,” Gaara hastened to point out.
Temari sniffed. “I happen to be in a very serious relationship, and Shikamaru and I just don’t feel ready to take that step yet.”
“And you expect me to-”
“I on the other hand,” Kankuro interjected, “am in several relationships and don’t feel the slightest inclination to mess with things right now. I am perfectly happy.”
“So why do I-”
“Besides,” Temari said with an evil grin. “You’re the Kazekage. It’s expected that you’ll marry, even if it’s only for the good of the state. No time like the present.”
“But I-” Gaara attempted once more to state his opinion on the matter.
“Good, that’s settled then,” Temari smirked.
Gaara was speechless.

“So who do you think he should marry?” Kankuro asked in the awkward silence that followed their earlier conversation.
“Hmmm, well not anyone you’ve dated, that could lead to complications,” Temari said pensively.
“Agreed,” Kankuro said, looking thoughtful for what might be the first time in his life. “Actually, he probably shouldn’t marry from the Sand at all.”
“How do you gather?” Temari asked.
“Well, as the Kazekage he has the opportunity to make a political alliance with his marriage, which is something we should take advantage of seeing as how we’re not the strongest village. And we still haven’t completely recovered from the damage Orochimaru inflicted while he pretended to be Kazekage. Besides, people here may still be a bit more – umm, timid – around Gaara, what with all their lovely childhood memories of him. Oh, and you might be hard pressed to find a decent girl here I haven’t already dated. Besides, those Leaf kunoichi are hot,” Kankuro smirked. He saved himself from another rap of Temari’s fan by adding “-and a stronger alliance with the Leaf can only be beneficial right now.”
“Point,” Temari conceded.
“Don’t I get a say in this?” Gaara whined, sounding an awful lot like a five year old for the leader of a ninja village.
“Nope,” Temari said, before catching her baby brother’s crestfallen and worried look. “Look Gaara, I really do think this will be good for you. Trust us, okay?”
Looking scared beyond all belief, Gaara held his sister’s gaze for a few moments before nodding almost imperceptibly.
“Great,” she grinned. “I’m off to talk to the council about this then. They’ll be thrilled!”
She turned and exited the room, pulling Kankuro with her as he ranted on about the leaf kunoichi.
“And there’s that pink-haired girl, although she’s a prude and hits too hard – oh and that girl with the two buns in her hair, great body – oh, and how could I forget, that absolutely gorgeous blonde-”
The door shut on Kankuro’s ramblings, hiding his almost drooling face from Gaara and enveloping the office once more in silence.
Finally. He could work. Picking the book up once more Gaara returned his attention to his original task.
Unfortunately, all his peace of mind had been brutally shattered and working was now impossible.
Damn it. Honestly. You’d think there were some things he’d get a say in. He was the Kazekage after all.