Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Gripped.

Chapter 1

Tapping his foot the energetic blond looked up at the great beige building. 'How long were they gonna take?' He wondered to himself. If that meeting that Granny Tsunade and Gaara were in took any longer if was gonna leave, and the Red-head would just have to miss out. Cause there was no way he was gonna miss this ever! He was even putting off eating ramen!

His stomach growled in protest, but he ignored it. What was gonna happen soon was worth waiting to eat. And then he would eat enough ramen to satisfy his hunger at least until breakfast, or maybe dinner. He chuckled softly to himself, and then stood there with a fox-like grin. Ramen was just too good to pass up.

Visions of noodles with bits of pork and chopsticks floated around in his head. So distracted by his thoughts he didn't even notice the door open until a deep smooth rasp filtered through the symphony of dancing noodles and meat of his daydream.

"Hello Naruto."

Blinking Naruto focused and then his grin widened as the whole purpose for his standing in front of the Hokage tower stood in front of him.

"GAARA! It's about time! I thought you were gonna be in there forever! COME ON WE HAVE TO HURRY!"

He took off at a dead run knowing that Gaara would follow.

"Where are we going?"

His friend was next to him as they leaped from the ground up onto the roof-tops.

"It's a surprise! Don't worry, even a stiff like you is going to enjoy it!"

He heard a soft scoff at his words, and laughed.

"Come on Gaara, you know I'm just teasing! You just look so serious all of the time. I don't think I've ever seen you full-blown smile. Well, except for that one time. But you were also trying to kill me."

Naruto again ignored the frown on his friends face.

Luckily for him Gaara knew how Naruto was, and was used to the blonde's blunt tactless ways.

"Anyway Gaara. I promise it's nothing bad. But when we get there you have to be quiet so we don't get caught."

"I thought you said it wasn't bad."

"It's not if we don't get caught!"

The kyuubi-container grinned cheekily.

"What are we doing Naruto?"

"Shh we're here!"

They both stopped and Naruto quietly slid a window sideways. The building they were at looked to be a two story warehouse like structure. Gaara didn't know what his friend was about to get him into, but his curiosity won out. He might be a powerful official, but he was still a teen. And he had moments when he wanted to indulge in his youth.

This new notion of delving into that part of his life was usually only ventured upon when he was in Konoha, and usually instigated by the boy crawling through the window in front of him.

He followed cautiously as soon as the window was clear. Naruto closed the window behind them and was slinking way into the darkness. It took a moment for Gaara's eyes to adjust but when they did, he realized that they were actually on a balcony. The space inside was open and spacious. Glancing over the balcony he couldn't see that well, as the lights were off. In front of him he heard hushed whispers.

"Shhh. She isn't here yet!"

A voice floated towards him. Soft shafts of light filtered through just barely from a few windows along the upper walls. Though not enough to give away who had spoken.

"She's going to kill us for this one day."

A different voice was heard. Though he recognized the disapproval in the tone. And the only one that could manage that was none other than the Hyuuga boy.

He let his senses flair slightly and noted the chakra signatures around him, but was reprimanded abruptly.

"Gaara, it's gonna be a drag if she senses you. Mind toning it down?"

The Nara heir.

He did as he was asked, hiding his chakra was Childs play but what were they doing and who was 'she'? In the brief moments that he had allowed his chakra to scan his immediate surroundings he could tell who his current company was. The first voice had been the Inuzuka heir. Shikamaru, neji and Naruto.

They heard the creak of a door and then all huddled down and were silent. Gaara couldn't see who it was until suddenly the lights flickered on.

Great beams of slight honing in on a central point. It was a stage, or perhaps a studio of some-sort. A theater perhaps, Gaara didn't know.

In the center of that stage was a large sand-box. This alone confused him, but what further confused the Kazekage was the pole sticking out from the middle of the sandbox. A long silver pole that stretched to the ceiling. It must have been secured there.

'How strange.' He thought idly.

Next to him he heard the quiet shuffle as his cohorts got comfortable. Louder below him he heard quiet steps and the sounds of things moving. Clicks and whirring noises, and then his ears were assaulted by a sultry beat. The song alone was almost lethargic and tantalized the senses.

The lights dimmed slightly, it was soft and alluring coupled with the sensual beats and flow of music that filled the huge space.

A silhouette appeared in the out-skirts of the beams of light, and when she stepped into the soft beams he heard the other's as their breaths hitched along with his own.

There stood Sakura, in what he could only describe as underwear, and some fuzzy cloth hugging her calves. He struggled to think of what they might be. 'Open-toed socks maybe?'

His teal eyes followed the pink-haired girl as she stretched. Her limber body contorting into poses befitting her ninja lifestyle, but on a whole new level than even Gaara could comprehend.

Her hair was tied up in a high pony-tail. Though it didn't really have much length, it did expose her long neck.

Gaara's throat seemed to dry up and he swallowed thickly. What the hell had Naruto gotten him into now. Because he suddenly understood the need for secrecy. Sakura was scary strong, and he would not defend himself from that girl if they got caught. Because it would firstly serve him right. But he also wasn't going to leave. He was simply too curious.

The girl before them was all legs and toned body. Soft curves and she moved with a certain grace. The fluidity of her movements were somehow enhanced, like she and the music were one.

Gaara watched as she stepped into the sandbox and took hold of the pole. He gulped her body turned and now back pressed against the pole slid down slowly. Her eyes were closed as she moved.

His eyes were transfixed as she swirled around and twisted. The pole like another appendage in which she seemed connected, but separate. Her lithe form bending and gripping as she moved up and down. Doing the splits upside down or held herself out vertically. Her strength being showcased in a way that seemed almost delicate. She made her movements effortlessly. It was beautiful and hypnotizing and Gaara found himself having to readjust his position as certain parts of himself came alive.

He was no stranger to his body's reactions, but it was something he had never indulged in. Not because he couldn't. He had plenty of fan-girls back home. He just never felt he could. His self-depreciating nature to his wholly new outlook on social interaction left him more than a little self-conscious.

He watched as her hands and feet swirled in the sand below as she twirled. She would pick up hand-fulls of the grains and let the grains slip slowly in wide arcs from her palms as she spun around.

It was both sensual and playful, and he was entranced.

Without thinking about the consequences or second guessing his actions Gaara reached back and uncorked his gourd.

The sounds of the others next to him as the barely audible noise was heard. The gentle hollow sound of air being sucked as the top came off the large container.

He ignored the quiet strained protests as his chakra elevated just enough to make the sand creep out and fall down to the floor below. They all watched in guarded fear as the grains slithered up into the box. All except him poised and ready to run if there was so much as a hint of getting caught.

Her body was almost serpentine as she bent and swayed along with the music. His gaze transfixed as he slowly made his sand move to mix and mingle with the sand in the box.

She was upside down and had picked up a handful of the now mixed sand and gently twirled. The small grains flaring out. With a flick of his own hand some of the grains moves as if in slow motion. Barely perceptible but he knew, and so did the other males who were holding their breath.

He eyes remained closed the whole time. Which was the only reason they didn't bolt in the next instant when Gaara made the sand swirl up around her in a spiral in time with her swirl around the pole.

He manipulated the small grains to complement her movements. Bending and swaying with her dips and maneuvers. It was mesmerizing, and Gaara almost felt like he was dancing with her.

He didn't know what came over him. In any normal circumstance he wouldn't even dream of doing such a thing. And then to risk being caught? But at the same time that his mind swam with the warning of his impending doom if she were to ever find out. A bigger part of him didn't care.

Throwing caution to the wind and thinking he might regret this sooner than later he jumped over the balcony.

As he landed he could swear he heard the hurried shuffles as bodies scrambled over each other. 'Probably escaping' he thought. But he didn't care. Right now he was more worried about what he was doing. Because what he was doing was so out of his element, and it scared him.

But he was also tired.

Tired of being closed. Tired of holding back. Tired of not being able to act of things. Tired of being afraid of himself.

She could beat him to a pulp, but at that moment he didn't really care. She was beautiful and intoxicating. And for once Gaara could care less about propriety. He wanted to express himself to this girl even if he didn't know how yet.

The music began to slow and he knew that it was almost over. Steeling his resolve he slowly made his way closer. So close that he was standing just outside of the sandbox when the music finally ended, and the dance stopped.

Gaara held his breath as she came to a stop and then opened her eyes.

Those emerald orbs widened in shock as they stared at him. The faint blush deepened the color of her already flushed cheeks.

"Kazekage!" She stammered as she folder her arms in front of herself embarrassed.

He stepped closer unable to formulate words at the moment until he was standing directly in front of her. She looked down unable to meet his intense gaze.

Gaara wanted her to look at him, he wanted those eyes on him. He had noticed her beauty before, but this….this had been something else. Her movements on the pole, while erotic, had also been elegant in its own way. He knew that it took a great deal of strength and poise to pull off most of those maneuvers and she had executed them flawlessly.

He reached up and took her chin gently in his fingertips and lifted her gaze to his. Those green orbs swallowed him and he gave up control, and finally let his body do something it wanted to. He leaned forward and whispered softly against her lips. "So beautiful…" and then he kissed her.

It was soft, just a gentle press of flesh. Skin brushing against skin. He felt her hesitate for a moment before he felt her give, and lean into the kiss.

Instinct took him, and he found his hand moving to slide along the flesh of her lower back, pulling her closer to him. The movement startling her slightly caused her grab at his upper arms for support. And the soft gasp allowed for him to deepen the kiss.

It was all instinct. He had never kissed anyone before, and in that moment he wondered why. Because the feeling that the woman now in his arms stirred within him was addicting. He already knew that it was something he would like to do more of.

Pulling away from her slightly he blushed himself.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, but you were just so beautiful and …." He felt the need to explain his actions. "I just couldn't help myself."

She was blinking at him. Blushing and panting softly.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

'HOLY CRAP!' Her inner was screaming at her!

Gaara had just kissed her. KISSED HER!

She had come to work out, and pole dancing was a good way to work on core strength and flexibility. Not to mention it made her feel sexy.

She had known that sometimes the guys snuck in to watch, but she never thought they would drag in GAARA! It must have been Naruto!

Knowing that the guys liked to watch her made her feel empowered and sexy. Which was snot something that she usually felt. Especially next to Ino's unshakable confidence, or even Hinata's cute shyness. She even felt that Tenten was prettier than her. So she put up with the peeping toms. Even though she'd never admit that to anyone. Because if they ever got caught out-right they would get a fist in their face.

But of all the people, and too come out right there. GAARA!

And he KISSED HER…. And it was good. It was soft and gentle in its hesitancy. He wasn't hurried and he didn't try to eat her face. All good points. But then he stopped. At first she wondered why, but then she had to remember who he was.

"I should probably go." She heard him say, and then watched as he turned to leave.

She didn't know why she did it. Later she might chalk it up to loss of insanity. But in that moment she really didn't care.

Her hand flew out and grabbed his sleeve and pulled him closer, and then her lips were back on his.

It only took a moment for him to respond, but when he did, his arms enfolded her and she was now flush against him.

Her hands moved too slowly weave themselves in his unruly hair. As messy as it looked, it was like silk between her fingers.

She gently nipped at his lower lip and his mouth opened slightly and she was rewarded with a soft groan. Inwardly elated she took advantage and delved her tongue between those parted lips tilting her head slightly to get better access. She felt his fingers dig into her flesh as his grip tightened on her. She wondered if he had ever done something like this before, and then not caring as he backed her up so that her back rested against the pole.

Her fingers slid from his hair and down the sides of his neck to the buckles of his vest. She began to fumble with the straps but was halted by his large hand.

"Wait." He voice was husky and breathless as he pulled away suddenly. She looked up at him confused and somewhat crestfallen. Was he rejecting her?

"Did I do something wrong Gaara?" she inwardly winced at the sound of her own voice. It was sad and it made her think of weakness.

His hand caressed her check. The calloused fingers rough on her tender flesh. "No, it's just." He blushed again. "I've never done this." He paused to kiss her lips gently. "But more importantly. I don't think I want it to happen this way."

She cringed slightly and was ready to pull away.

"I would like to court you. Properly."

She paused in her retreat. Not having made it out of his arms, but her head had been turned when she heard his declaration. Slowly turning back to see his face.

"You want to court me?"

"Hn."

"Like?"

"I would like to take you on dates."

He was so cute. Standing there blushing. Even though he remained resigned to be the brave man that he hoped to portray when she could tell that he looked like he was ready to run. She was still in shock that he had even done what he had to get them to this point. She was proud, he was trying. And she would be lying if she didn't feel a little pride in herself that it had been her to drive the boy to his current state of insanity. Because that just had to be what had happened here.

"Okay." She leaned up and kissed his cheek before ducking out of his arms and walking away. "Pick me up at 8."

AN: I had really meant this to be a one-shot, but then my fingers were like NEWP clickity-clickity! It's probably not going to be a long one, but I hope you enjoyed what I have so far.

For those of you wondering the song that I had in my head as I was thinking about the pole dancing part is.

Is this real- By Lisa Hall.

That song just makes me think of sex ;p lol

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