A Mother's Lullaby

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Ever since Gaara was able to remember anything, he feared the night. It wasn't due to unseen things lurking in the night, nor the inability to see. It was the hauntingly beautiful voice that sang to him every night, hoping for him to sleep so that he would lose control.

He knew now it was Shukaku that was doing it. Singing to him in hopes of freedom.

Hush little baby, don't say a word

Gaara, sitting at his desk during night fall, or laying in bed, alone, hoping to escape into slumber that was denied him for so long-knew it was his own voice singing it inside his mind from memory, but that didn't make it any less scary.

Mama's gonna set your world on fire(1)

Even now, laying next to Naruto in what has become their bed when he visits does little to stop the lullaby. He must be clinging too tightly, for the blonde wakes up with a groan.

And if baby isn't suffering enough(1)

"Gaara, what's wrong?" The blonde asks, rubbing his eyes from sleep.

Gaara knew he couldn't get away from lying to the blonde shinobi, he cracked his code-unlike everyone else-and had gloated that fact one too many times in the past. With a sigh he began to explain what the cause is behind his continued insomnia.

Mama's gonna tear you limb-from-limb

Naruto grasps onto him tightly, not knowing what to say-though they both harbored demons, Kyuubi had been silent for most of his life. Gaara leaned into the touch, sighing contently, though still scared.

"Gaara," Naruto begins. "Shukaku is gone, you're safe from him. But if you still go bat shit crazy, I'll just wake you up like last time."

But don't you fret child, don't you cry,

Gaara looks into the groggy, smiling face of his boyfriend-his trademarked big, goofy grin plastered on his face. He remembered that day during the Chunin exams as well, and with fondness now, for that was when he truly saw Naruto.

"I know it's unfounded, he's gone even though I can still control the sand, but…"

"His presence was domineering, Gaara." Naruto said. "It's only natural that it would linger. You just have to work past it-and I'll be here for you every step of the way."

"But what about the times you're not here?" No emotion was evident in his voice, but Naruto could tell by his eyes that he was worried.

"We'll worry about that in the morning,"

Gaara pointed at the clock showing that it was now two in the morning.

"Later in the morning." Naruto corrected himself, yawned, stretching his arms before laying back down, pulling Gaara with him. "Until then, relax and go to sleep."

Gaara listened to the internal rhythm of his lover-every inhale and exhale, heartbeat, and so forth-telling himself to relax and to trust in Naruto.

He gently slips off to sleep.

Mama's not gonna let you die…

END

1)Basically, that line was added in to fit with the plot. The original was meant for a Silent Hill fic(Baby Walter-centric) and originally went like this: Hush little baby, don't say a word, Mama's gonna tear you limb-from-limb; but don't you fret child, don't you cry, Mama's not gonna let you die…