Training

[Tsukie]

Tsukie felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of her face as she threw another punch at the leather mat attached to the tree. "Hah!" she huffed, panting. The young ninja turned her shaking hands up to see her palms, they were red from over-usage. Tsukie frowned, frustrated at her weak body. "I need to work harder..." she chided herself. Once again she began pounding the mat, with more force and more movement of her body. She ducked and weaved, blonde hair swishing behind her as she attacked the tree like she would an enemy.

Finally, she flung one more hit at the tree and tweaked her wrist. "Gah!" she quickly withdrew her hand and held it to her chest, biting her lower lip. She was wearing a scarf and her training uniform: a loose-fitting light grey t-shirt with some tight black pants. Tsukie removed her scarf with her good hand and wrapped it gently around her other wrist. "I guess that's good enough." she mumbled, disappointed in herself. "How will I ever get someone's attention if I keep this up?" she asked, thinking about the red-haired Kazekage, Gaara. She knew of his sad past and sympathized with him. Tsukie thought maybe he would understand her. After all, Naruto was always too busy for anything, but it appeared Gaara was pretty layed back as he visited pretty often.

The young ninja did what she did everyday and told herself, "One day, I will find someone who can accept me." hoping her optimistic thinking would hasten this prediction to come true. Sighing, she slumped back against the battered mat and slid into a sitting position, waiting for the pain in her wrist to ebb away as she took the Konoha headband from her hair and let it fall freely into her face.

[Sabaku No Gaara]

Soon, who else would show up but the sand demon himself, Sabaku No Gaara. He was on one of his visit and was walking around with Naruto. The hyper active kitsune was on one of his usual rant, something about too much paper work, as Gaara closed his eyes and listen to him silently. He didn't mind that much, it amused him actualy but something else caught his attention. As soon as he stepped onto the grounds he stopped and oped his eyes, staring directly at Tsukie. Gaara had always liked the young girl but did his best to hide it, he still had some trust issues, even though he changed. Truth be told he feared being hurt again and slipping back into old habits.

[Tsukie]

Naruto finally stopped talking long enough to look over at Gaara, "Eh? Oh yeah, Tsukie is usually out here. See? There she is." he stated, "Wanna go see her?" he asked, blinking and watching the Kazekage.

Tsukie had just closed her eyes when she saw the Kazekage and Hokage come into view. "N-Naruto sama!" she leapt to her feet, cradling her wrist in her hand. "Kazekage sama." she bowed to the both of them in respect, "Wha-what are you two doing way out here?" Tsukie asked, gaze flicking to Gaara once before dropping to the ground.

"Gaara felt like walking." Naruto said with a shrug, crossing his arms. "What happened to your wrist?" he asked, nodding toward her bandaged hand.

"Nothing. I just sprained it I think." she told him, feeling awkward in their presence.

[Sabaku No Gaara]

Gaara's sky blue gaze switched to the bandaged are as well. " You really should be carefull.....over working never helped anyone....." He said calmly, not really knowing what else to say. He wasn't really good at conversations, he knew this all to well and hated it.

[Tsukie]

Tsukie felt her face redden just a little, but she said nothing. She only nodded. Finally, she replied, "Yes sirs." the young ninja rubbed her injured wrist and gingerly removed the scarf. "I'm sorry, I'll go home now." she murmured, turning to leave.

Naruto tried to stop her but decided against it, looking back at Gaara.

[Sabaku No Gaara]

"...You don't have to...Naruto and I were about to get some ramen.....Want to join us?" He offered as he walked toward her, reaching out and placing his hand gently on her shoulder to stop her.

[Tsukie]

The younger ninja stopped, feeling his hand, and scolded herself for being so strange around other people. This was the chance she had been waiting for! "Y-yes. I would like to come." she replied with one of her small, uncommon smiles.

Naruto felt a grin on his face as well, "Then it's a date!" he announced, aware of Gaara's slight infatuation and Tsukie's thirst for attention.

[Sabaku No Gaara]

Gaara nodded. "Alright then...What are we waiting for....Normally you'd be half way there by now Naruto. " the Kazekage said smirking and turning toward his friend though he kept his hand on her shoulder.

[Tsukie]

Naruto nodded, "Alright! Let's go!" he grinned and pranced off. He was sure that leaving those two by themselves was good for them.

Tsukie lingered, liking Gaara's hand where it was.

[Sabaku No Gaara]

Gaara sighed and gave Tsukie's shoulder a gentle squeez before following after his friend. "Come on...Before Naruto Eats all the ramen at the shop..." He said, looking back at her.

[Tsukie]

"O-or..." Tsukie began working up her courage since Naruto left, "C... Kazekage sama... I... Can you... I need..." she squeezed the headband in her hand tightly and looked down. 'Why can't I talk!?!' she thought angrily.

[Sabaku No Gaara]

Gaara stopped and turned around. " What?....What is it....?....What do you need?" the sand ninja asked raising what would be eyebrows.

[Tsukie]

"I need help..!" she said loudly, wanting to slap herself because of her choice of words. 'Help? Yeah, mental help...' Tsukie thought bitterly,

[Sabaku No Gaara]

" Help....? What with...?" He asked. He wasn't sure what to do, just that he wanted to do what ever he could do to help.

[Tsukie]

She sighed, "Help... I... I... Nevermind, Kazekage sama. Forgive me." she said, bowing deeply and keeping her gaze low, "I-I'm going to go find Hokage sama." she murmured quickly, bowing again and turning to leave once more.