Naruto arrives early in the evening, minutes after the blue sky is bleeding into red. The air he brings with him crackles with electricity but underneath there's the soothing promise of rain.
Gaara smiles at the thought of Naruto bringing the storm. It's a ridiculous idea - the storm has been predicted for weeks and the rains anticipated even longer. But he can't seem to shake it. There are many things that seem ridiculous and yet Naruto has made them completely plausible; almost logical. He toys with the idea as Naruto's silhouette draws closer and details appear.
He looks tired but on Naruto, Gaara knows it's only skin deep. He knows that Naruto's mind is buzzing with life, ideas and complaints and observations tossed together and thrown around at once. His vibrant clothing has been dulled by the sand clinging to it but the pink sunburn on his cheeks makes up for the loss of colour. And in the dying light of the sun his hair has darkened and pain flares in Gaara's chest at the sight.
It's only a momentary pain but it leaves him breathless all the same. Face slack in shock, he presses the heel of his palm over the phantom ache that lingers. When he looks down he notices he's pressing over his heart and he knows that means something but he just can't remember.
Scowling, he drops his hand and turns to go inside. Naruto is moving rapidly towards the Kazekage building and for all his social inadequacies, Gaara still knows it would be in poor taste not to greet him. He also knows he will have to alert Kankurou and Temari to Naruto's arrival. Although they will never admit it and Naruto will never guess, they adore the boy that gentled their monster of a brother.
Naruto has just drawn level with the Kazekage building when Gaara and his siblings step out of it. They are quickly followed by a number of the building's occupants who are all anxious to see the legend in the flesh - the ninja who gave them their leader.
"Gaara!" Naruto exclaims as soon as Gaara steps out onto the street. His face lights up as he skids to a stop. For a moment Gaara is shocked into stillness because he knows that joy is all because of him. Naruto is happy to see him.
Something flutters in his stomach.
"Welcome, Naruto," Gaara says as soon as he is able. The gathering crowd on the street echo the greeting with all the respect they have for Naruto who startles. He glances around quickly, looking as though he hadn't noticed the people. When he looks back at Gaara he's still smiling. It's a softer smile but no less joyful and Gaara feels warm at the sight.
Then Naruto's gaze slip past him and lands on his siblings. "Hey, Temari, Kankurou," he says happily. It may be wishful thinking but Gaara Naruto's greeting to them sounds slightly less enthusiastic than the one he got. He ponders that while Temari, Kankurou and Naruto exchange pleasantries (as well as one can with Naruto) and can only come up with one possible solution: Naruto likes him better.
The idea sends jolts of excitement running through him and Gaara doesn't know how to react to it. He falls back on one of his two coping methods: formality (the other is out of the question; he only does that when necessary now).
"The meeting is scheduled for after dinner, in the meeting hall. Temari has volunteered to escort you there, so that you won't get lost."
Out of the corner of his eye he sees Temari flush and belated remembers she had asked him not to say that she had volunteered. He would have shrugged if he were a shrugging sort of person; he's sure Naruto will make her forget about her embarrassment. Sure enough Naruto's grinning at Temari.
"Thanks, Temari-chan!" Naruto is one of the few people able to call her that and walk away unscathed. As it were, Temari merely smiles back and Naruto turns his attention back to Gaara.
"So, are you going to show me food or are we just gonna stand here?"
The question startles Gaara; he never considered Naruto would want Gaara to navigate around Suna. He almost changes his mind about his reply but duty rules out.
"I - I have paperwork," he says and it's the closest to a mumble that his siblings have heard in a long time. "However, I believe Temari will not object to helping you find your way." Behind him Temari hastily agrees.
"Okay," Naruto says. It might be Gaara's imagination but he looks slightly disappointed. The idea leaves him conflicted, torn between the positives and negatives it represents.
Minutes later Gaara is sitting back at his desk and staring at the piles of paperwork. If he looks out the window he knows he will see the crowd that gathered dissipating and the tops of two blond heads disappearing into the wave of people. It is for that reason that he stubbornly keeps his eyes on the form in front of him.
Even so, it's a good ten minutes before writing appears on it.
xxxXxxx
The meeting is long and by the end of it Gaara just wants to curl up in a cool, dark corner and avoid people for the next day or so. Every meeting leaves him the same way. Even Naruto's talent for winning people over has failed in the stony faces of the Elders. It takes hours to agree on a few basic agreements and there is two more meetings planned.
Gaara is contemplating which corner to curl up in when there is the first crack of thunder. It never fails to send shivers down his spine and he stands still for a moment to enjoy them. As he does he spots Naruto who is gazing at the ceiling with an amazed expression. He remembers that Konoha witnesses few storms and knows Naruto will revel in seeing one. Especially a desert storm; they are unfailingly spectacular.
The idea of finding a corner to curl up in no longer appeals. All of a sudden, all he wants is to show Naruto the storm and watch his face while doing so.
"Naruto," he says quietly and gains Naruto's attention immediately. "Would you like to watch the storm with me? The view from the balcony of my quarters is quite spectacular."
Naruto accepts almost immediately and Gaara wonders if he even had time to think about it. They leave the meeting hall together and Gaara can't understand why Kankurou is smirking at him while they do so.
The storm is raging by the time they step out onto the balcony. Naruto stops stock-still in the middle and tilts his head back. Gaara stares at the lines of his throat. Years ago he would have wanted to crush it with his sand; now he wants to touch it. With his fingers and his lips. The idea confuses him while it thrills him.
They stand out there for hours, unafraid of each flash of lightning, each crack of thunder. The watch the dark storm clouds gather, heavy with moisture and Gaara breathes in the cool night air, content.
Naruto breaks the silence with a soft laugh. Gaara likes that sound. He wouldn't mind hearing it again.
"Where's the rain?" Naruto asks.
Almost as soon as the words have left his lips Gaara feels a splash of wet hit his forehead and begin to slide down his face. His mind flashes back to the idea he had earlier - that Naruto has brought the storm. Again he smiles and it becomes more pronounced as more droplets begin to splatter onto the balcony.
The smile fades when he looks back at Naruto. Naruto, who is looking back at the sky with his arms spread wide. He's shed his jacket despite the cool of a desert night and is standing with his arms outstretched. The rain is making his t-shirt stick to the lines of his torso. As Gaara watches, Naruto spins in a circle and there is a flash of lightning. In the brief, suspended time where the world is illuminated, Gaara sees the content expression on his face.
There is that flash of pain in his chest and his presses his fist to the ache.
Naruto catches the movement and his arms drop down to his sides. He hurries over and in the faint light spilling from inside, Gaara can see he is worried. The ache grows stronger.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asks. His voice is soft, like he's talking to a frightened animal.
"It hurts," Gaara replies. "Why does it hurt?" He is no stranger to pain - the kind on the inside, anyway. But he's never felt this. The only thing he can think of that comes close is how he used to feel when he watched the other children playing. All he had wanted was to join.
It hits him just then.
Want.
He stands deadly still as Naruto draws even closer. He's struggling to understand what he wants so badly, what would make him hurt like this. Then Naruto is right in his face and reaching out to touch Gaara's chest and suddenly he gets it.
"I understand now," Gaara whispers. It feels wrong to talk any louder, even with the roar of the wind and rain. Naruto hears him anyway - he's that close. His face softens; his eyes drop to half-mast and his mouth relaxes into a gentle smile. Then Naruto steps even closer and drops his hand so they can stand flush against each other. He drops his head slightly and Gaara tilts his up slightly.
In the middle of the desert, with thunder booming overhead and lightning lighting up the world at regular intervals and cold water droplets running down their spines and nourishing the land...It feels like home.