The Caring Partner

The honeymoon had been planned months in advance. Heck, the entire wedding had involved such meticulous planning and Gaara had been trying to ensure nothing went wrong. He'd thankfully had help with that regard in the form of his former mentor, Baki, and elder brother, Kankurou. It had been an unusually large affair for two people so quiet, but they wanted to share this joyful event with their friends and family. A lot of people had gotten drunk that night, and there had been a lot of dancing, albeit somewhat awkward in certain cases. What could he say? Gaara had never tried dancing before.

The honeymoon itself took place in a beautiful place, abundant with life and water, far different to the sand and heat they were used to. The night seemed peaceful, and there were all sorts of things to do. Matsuri had never been one for the type of holiday where one simply slept and bathed the day away. She'd always preferred active holidays, where she could go to attractions, learn new things and be kept busy.

Sadly, she wouldn't be able to enjoy the honeymoon as much as she'd wanted. When Gaara awoke that first morning, his ears tuned into an unusual sound. Like a mix between pained yelp and throaty cough, followed by a splash of liquid hitting liquid. Sitting up groggily, he turned to see Matsuri had long since vacated the bed. She was probably in the bathroom, that was where the noise was coming from, and...was she being sick?

Cautiously, Gaara slipped out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, only to find the door locked up tight. He knocked gently with just one knuckle. "Matsuri? Are you okay in there?"
Silence greeted him, before the sound of another retch, causing the young Kazekage to wince. Finally, a weak, hoarse voice called out to him.
"I'm fine..."
"Are you sure? You sound very unwell."
"I'll be fine." The lock clicked as Matsuri drew the bolt across and stepped out, a forced smile plastered across her pale face. She just wanted to enjoy this damn holiday, but one night in and she was puking her guts up. No matter. She might still be able to make it to the nearby museum she wanted to go to.
"Perhaps you should have a lie down. I'll get you some water."
She shook her head, causing the room to spin. "I'm fine, Gaara-kun. I want to go out."
"I can't allow that while you're unwell. You need rest."
She opened her mouth to argue again, but all that she managed to get out was another round of vomit. Gaara swiftly moved back to avoid getting hit and she began to apologise profusely. Once over the initial shock, the young Kazekage gently took her arm and led her back to the bed. "Just rest, Matsuri. You really aren't well."
This time she simply nodded and curled up over the covers. At least it could be worse, she thought, remembering the last time she had contracted the flu. She didn't have any fever or anything, just the nausea. And tiredness. She always felt tired when she was ill, so that was no big surprise. She probably would have fallen asleep there and then if it hadn't been for the promise of water.

Not much later, he was still on the bed beside her, gently stroking her hair as she took small sips of the water. A glance had her catching the deep-set concern in his eyes and she gave a soft sigh. This was, without a doubt, one of the most embarrassing moments in their entire relationship for her. Sadly, it would not get much better.

Her gaze drifted, resting on the gorgeous view they had from their window as she felt Gaara's hand move to her back, rubbing in calming circles. She had to admit, she was very thankful for that comfort, and he was happy just to spend his time in her company, helping her feel better.

By the time her glass of water was about half-full, she felt the nausea returning with a vengeance. Once more, she was up like a shot, sprinting for the bathroom and unleashing what little she had. So much for soothing her throat and quenching her thirst.

This time, Gaara knelt beside her, holding back her hair and once again rubbing her back. He offered calming words, but she barely heard them. With the new wave of sickness came another dizzy spell, even though she was on the floor already, and the beginnings of one nasty migraine. Whimpering slightly, she clung to her new husband, just wishing she could sleep and forget any of this ever happened. She didn't care about her holiday any more. Her body was tired and painful.

Watching his wife be reduced to such miserable whimpering struck Gaara's heart. Slowly, he lifted her, bridal style, and carried her back to the bed, laying down with her curled against his chest. If she was suffering this much, the strong kunoichi he knew, the capable girl who could face almost anything placed before her, then there must have been something very wrong. He needed to call a doctor, he decided as he planted a kiss on her forehead, gently whispering words of comfort as he ran his hands through her hair. For now, he let her cuddle up to him until she fell into a fitful sleep. Then, he gently eased her off him, resting her on the bed and tucking her in once more, as gentle as he could be. He tried to think of the things people normally did when someone was sick. He had been there the last time Temari had dealt with a sickly Kankurou. Awkwardly, he put his hand to her forehead, expecting heat. At least, more heat than he normally felt when he held her. She didn't appear to have a fever. Even so, he wet a cloth to place over her forehead, and got her another glass of water. She was still in her night clothes, so there was no bother there. He briefly considered calling for a bowl of soup, but decided to wait for her to awaken first. Until then, he lay down beside her, watching her every move to see if she needed anything.

A couple of hours later, he decided she wouldn't be waking up soon. Frowning, he sat up straight and tried to wake her, shaking her arm. She turned away lethargically with a groan, but made no other move. "Matsuri?"
She gave a slight hum of acknowledgement. Once again, she sounded hoarse and weak.
"Would you like something to drink?" He asked, concern creeping into his voice.
Another hum, this time sounding off an affirmative. With a slight nod, Gaara reached over, helping Matsuri sit up and then holding the glass to her mouth so she could drink.
"I can hold it myself, you know." She muttered, scowling.
"You're still half-asleep." He pointed out, cuddling her close as she downed the water.
"I guess. I love you." She mumbled, draping her arms around him and cuddling up once more. He offered a soft smile.
"I love you too. Are you hungry?"
She opened her eyes again and gave a slight nod. "Why? Are we going to have lunch now?"
"I could arrange something, yes."
"That would be lovely, thank you."
Gaara gave a brief nod before reaching for the phone beside the bed. As he picked up the receiver, Matsuri once again threw up all the water she had drank. She uttered a soft apology and looked away, embarrassed.
"It's fine, don't worry." His only worry at that point was that she was on a fast track to dehydration. Drinking just...wasn't helping. "I'll call you a doctor."
She had half a mind to object, but opening her mouth to do so earned her a glare, and really, she did feel pretty bad, so it wouldn't be too harmful to say the least. Instead, she just heaved a sigh and rested her head on his lap. A slight smile graced his usually stoic features and he once again ran his fingers through her hair. After he finished his call, he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her in closer. Even though she was unwell, she still smelled the same as always. Magnolia and raspberries, albeit with a sour undertone that almost made him wrinkle his nose. Almost. Right now, he just watched her in concern, wishing he could do something to help her. For now all he could do was hold her and offer his comfort.

When the doctor arrived, Gaara had his forehead resting against Matsuri's, as she fell asleep once more. He quickly explained the problem, how his wife threw up every time she took a drink.

Medicine could be given for the nausea, but the doctor wanted to figure out the reason for all this sickness. They were taken to a hospital, and she was attached to an IV. Gaara sat beside her as the tests were performed, holding her hand tightly. Now conscious and alert, as well as embarrassed, Matsuri gripped his hand just as hard, terrified something was seriously wrong. Every glance to her husband helped lift her spirits. He would offer a comforting smile, his silent promise that no matter what, he would be there at every turn to help make things okay.

After a long moment, the doctor returned with several notes in hand. "Matsuri-san, you said you started throwing up a couple of days ago but it didn't get this bad until this morning?"
She gave a slight nod. That had been something she had kept secret from Gaara simply because she too wanted nothing to ruin their wedding. She certainly wasn't about to let herself ruin it all.
"And you've been feeling more tired than usual..."
She gave a slight nod. Gaara stared at the doctor, silently urging him to get to the point.
"Well...our tests suggest the cause is hyperemesis gravidarum."
"What does that mean?" Matsuri asked, looking confused.
"A rather serious case of, um, morning sickness. Although we would like to double check the cause of your sickness is pregnancy and not something else."
She nodded before she'd really taken what he'd said in, but by her side, Gaara had gone slack, eyes wide. The doctor began to set up and his brow furrowed.
"We've only just gotten married."
"Hey, you were the one who wanted to be active so soon."
He tried to ignore that, but could still feel heat rushing to his cheeks. "My apologies...but...we're having a child..." His eyes were drawn to her belly and Matsuri let her head fall back with a groan.
"And this stupid condition will only get a million times worse. At least I shouldn't throw up constantly for nine damn months..."
"You were pregnant during the wedding...you didn't drink, did you?"
"Not much..." She answered defensively. "Besides, I had no idea."
"You shouldn't have been drinking if you were feeling ill." He pointed out, trying hard not to smirk. She gave him a playful hit.
"Stop that, mister! I'm not a saint, you know."
"I think I know that all too well. I am your husband, after all."
She couldn't help but laugh at that. "And I'm your wife."

After that day, Matsuri decided she didn't like having ultrasound scans. For some reason just seeing the thing put her in a bad mood. She had no idea why, but the strange jellybean-prawn-alien thing that appeared on the screen put her in a bad mood. Maybe she was worried. Maybe she was annoyed that something that small had put her in hospital despite her strength and training. Perhaps it was that Gaara had been silent the entire time she'd been having the scan, just staring at the screen with a slightly open mouth, gripping her hand so tight it had started to hurt. Now she was curled up in his arms, snuggled up to his chest. Yeah, that was another thing putting her in a rotten mood. She was still damn tired.
"Gaara?"
"Mmm?"
Matsuri looked up, biting her lip. "What are you thinking?"
He was silent for a long time, looking to the ceiling as he gathered his thoughts. "I hope it's a girl. Then she can be just as beautiful as her mother. And strong as both of us combined."
She smiled at that. "Sounds like you're excited about becoming a father."
"...Do...do you think I'd be any good as a parent?" He asked uncertainly, looking a little anxious.
"You'll be a wonderful father. Caring, protective, wise...you're perfect."
He gave a slight nod. "It looked strange."
"Like a bean."
"Yes. That turns into an infant?"
"Eventually." She let out a yawn and buried her face in her husband's shirt. "You make a really good pillow."
"You've said." He stroked her hair again, placing a kiss on her forehead. "You rest. I will make sure you're undisturbed."
"You're the best."
"I love you so much." As she drifted off to sleep, he rested a hand on her stomach, thoughts drifting to the year before, meeting his nephew. He couldn't deny it, though the idea of being a parent hadn't fully sunk in yet, there was something...exhilarating about this whole ordeal. Nerve-wracking, yet exciting. Certainly not something he thought he would be getting into so soon. He would have to ask for some advice later on. That sounded good, it had been a while since he had had some brother/sister time with Temari...