So this is written for GrimmyRayne who won my little contest in my story Like High School Didn't Suck Enough Already. The pairing is Female Naruto (Naruko) and Gaara. I hope you like it.

~Tora

"Naruko! Naruko wake up!" A voice shouted jolting me out of my sleep.

"Hm, what?" I asked sleepily opening my eyes to see my pink haired friend. "Sakura?"

"Lady Tsunade needs to see you," she informed me.

"Why?" I asked sitting up.

"I don't know, just get dressed and go to her office," she said turning and leaving my apartment.

"Fine," I grumbled getting out of my nice, warm bed. I yawned and stretched my arms above my head before taking off my pajamas and throwing on my usual orange shirt and black shorts. I wonder what Granny Tsunade wants. She knows I can't go on missions because I'm working on my new jutsu with Kakashi –sensei. I grabbed my kunai and weapons pouch then locked my door and set off.

"What do you need Granny Tsunade?" I asked barging into her office.

"I told you not to call me that!" She exclaimed. "It makes me feel old."

"Whatever," I said. "So, why did you call me here? You're cutting into my training time!"

"We have an important guest coming to the village and I need you to be his escort while he's here." She informed me.

"Why me?" I asked. "Why can't someone else do it?"

"Everyone else is busy with missions and we figured that he'd feel most comfortable with you." Shizune said.

"And it's only for a few days." Tsunade added.

"Fine," I mumble. "So who is he?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say anything there was a knock at the door. "Ah, that should be him. Come in!"

The door opened behind me and I turned around to see who it was. My eyes met a familiar pair of sea green ones and my insides froze. Why did it have to be him?

"G-Gaara?" I stuttered as my heart rate sped up and a wave of anger washed over me. I don't think he's going to be as comfortable as they think. The last time we saw each other was after the Akatsuki kidnapped him. When we left Suna I didn't even say goodbye I just walked away without saying anything.

While I was training with the Pervy-Sage I couldn't get the redhead out of my mind. When I asked Pervy-Sage why he just said that when you think about someone a lot it means that you care about them. As time went on I soon realized that I cared about Gaara as more than a friend. When he was killed by the Akatsuki and brought back by Granny Chiyo I came to the conclusion that I loved him. I figured that either of us could die at any moment and I wanted him to know how I felt before it was too late.

The night before we left I joined him on the roof and after a lot of debating in my head I decided to tell him. When I finally got it out he just stared at me silently before getting up and leaving. I sat on the roof for a long time after he left and cried my eyes out. The next day I stood there silently while everyone else said their goodbyes and then left without saying a word.

"Do I have to do this?" I asked Tsunade forcing myself to look away from Gaara. "I'd rather be working on my new jutsu; I've almost got it down."

"I thought you could use a break," Tsunade answered. "Kakashi says you've been over exerting yourself and I don't want you to get hurt. Besides I thought you'd be excited to see your friend again."

"But, Granny." I whined. "I'm so close to mastering it!"

"That's enough Naruko!" She yelled. "I don't care how close you are, you're doing this mission so stop whining!"

"Fine," I pouted and crossed my arms over my chest. "Old hag." I mumbled.

"What was that?" She growled.

"Nothing!" I said quickly putting my hands up in a defensive position in case she decided to hit me.

"Good, here's a list of all his meetings. Make sure he gets to them on time." She handed me a piece of paper and I turned to leave the room. I ignored Gaara as I brushed right past him and continued out of the room without looking to see if he was following.

"Are you hungry?" I asked when we got out of the Hokage tower.

"Yes," he answered in a soft voice. I didn't say a word as I led him down the street to Ichiraku.

"Hey Naruko!" The old man said as we ducked under the flaps.

"Sup Old man," I said sitting at the bar.

"What can I get for you two?"

"Pork miso ramen, extra pork please." I answered.

"I'll have the same," said Gaara.

"Coming right up," he said and turned around to start cooking.

"Naruko!" A voice said and I turned around to see Kiba and Akamaru enter the shop. "Long time, no see."

"Yeah," I smiled as he took a seat next to me. "I've been training like crazy."

"Us too," he said. "So how have ya been?"

"Tired," I laughed. "Kakashi-sensei's got me working on this new jutsu. It's supposed to be so advanced that even the fourth Hokage couldn't do it. I'm so close to mastering it, but Granny Tsunade's making me take a break and escort Gaara while he's in the village." I pointed to Gaara and Kiba's eyes widened.

"Hey Gaara, I didn't even see you there you were being so quiet!" Kiba exclaimed.

"Well he is a quiet person," I muttered.

"What's it like being Kazekage?" Kiba asked him.

"It's exhausting, but worth it." Gaara sighed. "Some days it feels as if the paper work will never end." The old man placed our food in front of us and took Kiba's order before turning around to make it.

"Thank you for the food!" I exclaimed and dug into my ramen. Man this taste good!

"That makes wanting to be Hokage sound a lot less appealing," Kiba said. "I mean that and the fact that Lady Tsunade looks exhausted every time I see her."

"It doesn't matter," I said around a mouthful of food. "I still want to be Hokage."

"And you'll be the best Hokage ever," Kiba said rolling his eyes. "We've heard this speech a thousand times."

"You're just jealous that you'll never have a chance at being Hokage," I teased and nudged his arm.

"Says who?" Kiba asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Says me!" I laugh. "Face it dog boy you'll never be as good as me!"

"You wanna fight?" He asked.

"Yes!" I shouted.

"Then let's go, right here, right now!"

"She can't," Gaara's voice cut into our argument.

"Why not?" We ask at the same time.

"I have a meeting to go to and you have to take me there," He answered in a monotone voice.

"Fine," I growled. "We'll fight after Gaara leaves the village."

"Good," Kiba said. "And I'll get to show you how much stronger I've gotten!"

"It doesn't matter, I'm still gonna kick your ass!" I looked at the paper Tsunade gave me and my eyes widened. "We've gotta go! The meeting's in a few minutes!"

I grabbed Gaara's arm and pulled him away from the stand. Kiba can pay for our ramen. I jumped onto the roof top still holding onto Gaara and took off towards the Hokage tower. We made it just before the meeting started and I had to wait outside in the hallway for it to be over. The meeting was to last pretty much all day and I was stuck in the hallway with all the other escorts who weren't really talkative.

After hours of boredom the meeting was finally over and I walked Gaara to the apartment that he's staying in. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning before your meeting starts," I said to him outside the door. He just nodded and I turned to walk away.

"Naruko?" he asked and I turned to look at him. "Are you mad at me?"

"What?" I asked taken aback. I didn't expect him to ask that.

"You've been acting cold to me all day and only talked to me when necessary." He explained. "What did I do to make you so mad at me?"

"You should know," I stated and glared at him. Could he really not know that he broke my heart?

"But I don't and it's driving me crazy that you aren't talking to me!" He exclaimed running a hand through his bright red hair.

"How dense can you be?" I asked. "You broke my heart!"

"How the hell did I break your heart?"

"I told you I loved you and you walked away without saying a thing!" I screamed as tears streamed down my face.

"I was in shock!" He shouted. "I didn't know how to react!"

"So you just walked away?" I yelled. "That's not the way you deal with those situations!"

"I'm sorry! You know that I'm still new to emotions!"

"Go to hell," I growled and his eyes widened. I turned my back on him and started to walk away.
"Naruko wait!" I ignored him and just kept walking, but I was stopped by him as he grabbed onto my arm. "Please don't be mad at me!"

I spun around aiming a punch at his head, but his sand blocked it. "Damn it!" I shouted. "Let me go!"

"No!"

"What do you want?" I asked struggling to get out of his grasp.

"I don't know!" He said in frustration. "I'm still new to this."

"I don't care, let go of me!" I cried. He let out a frustrated growl and moved forward to smash his lips to mine. My eyes widened in shock before closing and my lips began to move against his. His hands let go of mine and he wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me closer. My arms seemed to move of their own accord and wrapped themselves around his neck. Gaara was the one to break the kiss for some much needed air.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry I made you think that I didn't care about you. I didn't know how to react to you telling me you loved me and I needed some time to think. After that night I haven't been able to get you out of my head and I think that I love you too."

"Really?" I sniffled looking into his eyes to see them filled with sincerity.

"Yes," he answered and pulled me into another kiss.

"I love you," I whispered against his lips.

"I love you too."