"Kami, I hate summer..." moaned Naruto as he tried to find a semi-comfortable position in the crowded spot under the shade tree. "Why the hell does it have to be so hot all day and night? It's a freaking oven out here!"

"Quit complaining," said Kankurou as he stood completely comfortably in the full glare of the sun. "You think this is bad? It's at least twenty, if not more, degrees hotter over in Suna right now. So quit your belly achin' and get back out here."

"Just because you're used to a hotter climate doesn't mean the rest of us are," groaned Tenten. "This is the hottest day we've had all summer. Give us a break already."

"Wimps..." mumbled Konkurou.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing..."

"Too bad the river's so far away..." moaned Kiba as he tried to fan himself, "Today's a perfect day to go swimming."

"Yeah..." sighed the group.

"Of all the days for a brownout..."

"Don't I know it..."

"I could really go for a cold soda right about now..." whined Tenten.

"Ice Cream."

"What was that Lee?"

"Ice Cream. The shops will more than likely be trying to get rid of it as fast as possible before it melts. We can all go and eat some ice cream to cool off. And it would probably be less expensive than usual anyway."

"Lee..." began Naruto,"...You are a bona fide genius!" Lee grinned.

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"Closed!?! What the hell!?!" yelled Naruto unbelievingly when they arrived at the ice cream parlor.

"Man...not cool...not cool at all..."

"But.. but... but... I wanted ice creeeeaaaaam!!!" whined Naruto annoyingly as the group left to find someplace that was open and sold ice cream.

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"No luck..." mumbled Kiba, irritated, after checking at a local market. "They've sold all the ice cream they had in the freezers up front and aren't going to open the freezer in back untill the power comes back on."

"Damn it! I want ice cream!!!"

"Geeze child, calm down," said Kankurou before Naruto could throw a full blown tantrum. "It's not that big of a deal."

"We can try my house," said Lee after thinking for a minute. "My mother went to the store earlier this afternoon. Maybe she bought some ice cream."

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"Sorry kids," apologized Lee's mother. "They were all out by the time I went."

"Thats okay ma'am..." sighed Kiba as he dragged an irate Naruto outside before the blonde broke anything.

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"Walking to the river and taking a swim is sounding better and better every minute..."

"I know right..."

"I still want ice cream..."

"Grow up Naruto..."

Group sigh...

"We could always make some ice cream..."

"Ha ha ha...very funny Tenten... Have you ever tried to make ice cream before?"

"No... but it can't be very hard...can it?"

"Difficult to make? No. Time consuming and labor intensive? Yes."

"Okay...new plan then..."

"Oh come on, are you ninja or not? Since when has a little hard-work been enough to stop you?"

"Kankurou, you try turning a wooden crank for three freaking hours and then talk to me about hard-work. I very much value the ability to use my arms, thank you very much."

"Oh come on Kiba, it can't be all that bad. We can always take turns," offered Tenten.

"Or we could trick Lee into doing it for us," whispered Naruto to Kankurou.

"I heard that Naruto."

"What? Think about it like one of those self imposed rule things you and Guy-sensei are always using."

"I think not Naruto. Not in this heat."

"It wouldn't work, Naruto," sighed Kiba. "You need lots of ice to make ice cream from scratch...and Ice is one thing we don't have much of right now."

"True..."

More group sighing...

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Thirty insanely uncomfortable minutes later...

"Ugh...why does it have to be over a hundred in the shade...This is freaking unbearable."

"Least you have shade here...Try living where there's no trees...or rivers...or much of anything accept for sand...and wind..."

"A breeze would be nice right now actually..." sighed Tenten.

"Yeah...a breeze would be nice."

"I still want ice cream..." mumbled Naruto.

"Wow...This has got to be the longest that Naruto has ever been focused on one thing before in his life..."

"Got that right."

"Here's an idea..." sighed Kankurou, "Let's just go to the damn river. The whole waiting for something to happen thing is just as annoying as the heat."

"Oh all right..." grumbled Naruto. "But let's go get Gaara first. I promised him I'd teach him how to swim on of theses days."

"Gaara-Onii-san? Swimming? What the hell...?" blinked Kankurou.

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"Swimming?" Gaara blinked calmly, "Alright."

Kankurou just stared.

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"So the first thing you need to do is take off that sand armor of yours or else you'll sink like a rock," said Naruto as he treaded water a little way from the bank of the river.

Gaara was standing on the shore in a pair of swimming trunks eyeing the water incredulously. "I don't take my armor off."

"Come on ya spoil sport. You can't wear it in the water. You'll be too heavy to swim with it on!"

"Yes Gaara, take off your armor. You will feel better if you do!"

Gaara glared at Lee for a moment before relenting to logic and removing the sand. "Happy now?"

Naruto grinned stupidly, "Come on into the water. Just wade in to about your waist. Or as comfortable as you fell like anyway."

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A little ways away, Kiba and Konkurou where playing chicken against Lee and Tenten. Which was a really unfair match-up when you think about it. What chance does Kiba have against the much stronger Lee anyway? Then again, why Lee was sitting on Tenten's shoulders and not the other way around is something to ponder...

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Back at the swimming lesson, ( or the how not to drown yourself lesson ) Naruto was trying to teach Gaara how to tread water without thrashing so hard that he'd drowned himself. "Come on Gaara, it's not that difficult. Just calm down. Thrashing like that is the last thing you want to do. Just kick with your feet for now. Once you get that down you can use your arms. Remember, arms are for steering, legs are to keep you up."

Gaara glared his signature "death" glare and Naruto shut up. Gaara stopped flailing his arms and tried to stay up using only his legs.

"There you go Gaara! Thats exactly right! Now, without thrashing like you were, use your arms to turn around."

Gaara sighed and tried to move his arms like Naruto was showing him. He managed to turn a little, but not very far.

"That's good. It's an improvement from before anyway. Now try it like this..." He did an easy breast-stroke. "Now you try it."

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After three humiliating losses, Kiba and Kankurou conceded defeat to Lee and Tenten.

"I'm bored, let's do something else..." grumbled Kiba, angry he lost.

"We could always watch Naruto try and teach Gaara how to swim. That'll prolly be funny. Knowing Gaara he's nearly drowned three times already."

"I guess that could be fun...untill he gets pissed and tries to kill us all anyway..."

"Gaara would not do that," said Lee.

"Wanna bet?"

"Cut it out Kiba," yawned Kankurou as he waded toward were Naruto and Gaara where.

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"So, you've got the basics of treading water down. Now it's time to work on floating." Naruto moved next to Gaara, "I want you to lay back. I'll hold you up at first, at least untill you get the form right." He placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder and waist. "Okay then... lean back slowly..." Gaara leaned back, but tried to keep his feet on the sandy bottom. "No Gaara, you can't float with your feet on the bottom. You have to actually lean back. Now try again." Gaara glared again, but did as Naruto asked. He leaned back into Naruto's arms and allowed Naruto to support him. At first Gaara was rigid and tense, but after a few moments he managed to relax. Too bad that was just about the time that Kiba, who had decided to race Kankurou over, arrived.

"Hey Naruto!"

Gaara jumped at the sound and landed with an almighty splash right smack dab in the center if the river, which, no surprise, was deeper than he was tall. Completely forgetting what Naruto had spent the last hour teaching him, he thrashed and started drowning.

"DAMN YOU KIBA!" roared Naruto as he swam as fast as he could to Gaara. He managed to get to the struggling teen before he actually did drown and managed to drag him to the shore. Gaara knelled, coughing and sputtering, at the shore. Naruto knelt beside him, half-supporting him and glaring at Kiba. Gaara turned over and sat down, still coughing a little.

"What the hell did you yell for baka!?!" growled Naruto.

"What!? I didn't know he was going to jump like that! How the hell was I supposed to know!?!"

Kankurou punched him, hard.

"What the hell was that for!"

"For nearly killing my Onii-san."

"Damn you hit hard Kankurou."

"Yeah, and I kick harder too."

"Stop fighting boys," said Tenten. "No point in killing each other. Gaara's fine, if a little traumatized."

"Kankurou ... next time ... kick him," Gaara mumbled between coughs.

"Whatever you say Gaara."

"Well, that pretty much ruined this little experience..." sighed Kiba.

"Yeah... Let's go back to town and get something to eat... I think I've had my fill of water for the day..." sighed Naruto.

They dried off and changed before heading back to the village. Much to their surprise and delight, the power was back on.

"Yes!!! Now we can get ice cream!!!"

"One track mind, this one has," sighed Kankurou as Naruto sprinted to the ice cream parlor.

"Got that right..."

"Come on... after that little episode I think i could use some ice cream too."

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"I want vanilla with almonds and mint chips and brownie pieces and strawberries and topped with hot fudge and caramel and he wants strawberry banana smoothie!"

The poor lady behind the counter stared at the energetic blonde and the slightly pissed looking red-head for a second before confirming the order and setting to work. The others walked in about five minutes later.

"Geeze Naruto, you could have waited for us."

"Yeah...but I didn't want to and Gaara needed to sit down."

Confused blinking.

Kiba, Kankurou, Lee, and Tenten turned around. They stared for about half a minute before they realized that Gaara wasn't there. "I'm over here," said Gaara, slightly angry that they hadn't even realized he was gone.

"What the hell???"

"Wow...sorry Gaara...Can't believe we didn't notice..."

"Whatever..." he growled.

"Anyway...let's order and sit down..."

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Ten minutes later...

They sat in one of the corner booths, throughly enjoying the cooling effect of the ice cream. The power may have been back on, but on a day like this no amount of air conditioning was going to be enough.

"What d'ya call this stuff again?" asked Kankurou as he stared at the mass of ice cream that Kiba had set down in front of him.

"It's some new promo flavor. It's called Birthday Cake or something like that. All I know is that it's the best stuff I've ever had."

"Okay...So then i guess the random bits of colored whatever-it-is is part of the theme of the flavor?"

"Sure, I'll go with that."

Kankurou shrugged and spooned a small amount of the concoction into his mouth. He spent about a minute mulling over the flavor before saying, "Ehhh...I guess it's okay. Bit sweet for my taste."

"So anyway..." said Tenten after taking a sip of her milk shake, "How long do you thing this heat is going to last?"

"Hopefully not long. I wish it would just rain or something already. Sakura spent the better part of an hour yesterday moaning about how Ino spent all the day before whining about her parents complaining about how their flowers are dieing from the heat."

Tenten shivered, "Glad she didn't managed to find me for that one."

"Is it really that bad?"

"Worse. Words don't do it justice Kankurou."

"Well, if it's so bad that Tenten is shivering, then it really must be horrible."

"Just be glad that she never tries to complain about things to you," sighed Kiba.

"She knows that if she tries I'm more than likely to beat her senseless. Or she thinks I am anyway."

"True, 'course we all know you're too much of a softy at heart to actually follow through with a threat like that..."

"Oh haha, very funny Kiba. Just wait tell we get home. You'll see how much of a softy I really am."

"I look forward to it," he grinned.

"Chill out boys. Now's not the time, or place for that matter," joked Tenten.

"Yes, let us talk about something else."

"I don't know about you Lee, but I can see myself enjoying the fruits of this conversation," said Naruto as he winked at Gaara, who choked into his smoothie.

Lee shrugged and went back to working his way through a fudge brownie sundae.

The parlor's door opened and in walked Choji. He saw everyone and stopped, "Hey guys, what's going on? Ya'll having an ice cream party and didn't invite me or what?"

"Naw, just trying to keep cool is all," replied Naruto as he motioned for Choji to sit down with them. "So, what've you been up to?"

"Not much, just the same as you guys, trying to keep cool. I'm really glad I bought all those ice cream sandwiches and Popsicles last night. Saved my sanity when the power gave out. I don't know what I woulda done if I hadn't of had it all to stay cool with."

"So you're the one that bought out the store's supplies! We went half-way 'round Konoha this morning looking for someone with ice cream but everyone was sold out!"

"Guilty."

"Lay off him Kiba. It's not like it's his fault the power went out."

"Yeah, i know; i know."

"S'okay. I know he didn't mean it."

The shop lady brought Choji a massive mound of ice cream. "Here ya go Choji. The regular."

"Thanks!" he said before shoving a huge spoonful into his mouth.

"Whoa man! Slow down before your brain starts freezing!"

"Imph nomph aphater. I capnm haphle iphh."

"Ehhh what?"

Choji swallowed heavily, "I said 'I'm no armature. I can handle it.' I don't get brain freezes anymore."

"Okay..."

"Yeah... I learned the hard way never to challenge him to an eating contest. He's the only person to ever eat more bowls of ramen than me in one sitting."

"Damn..." muttered Kankurou, impressed. "I didn't think that was even possible."

"Neither did I."

"So Choji, were is Ino. It is not like her to not be with you."

"Her parents needed her to work..." He gulped down another huge amount of ice cream, swallowing heavily again. "...So i managed to ditch her for a few hours."

"You should ditch her permanently. She's so not worth it."

"Hey, for all her faults, she still a great girl," he gasped.

"Slow down before you choke yourself."

"No way, gotta eat it before it starts to melt." More massive amount of ice cream shoveled into his mouth.

"Kami...this kids a machine..." mumbled Kankurou as he watched Choji shoveling.

"Kankurou, you were nearly as bad as a child," said Gaara quietly. He continued sipping his smoothie.

"You swore you would never speak of that!"

Gaara smiled slightly.

"You can't leave it at that Gaara," said Naruto as he eyed Kankurou. "Tell us more."

"I've said enough. If he wishes you to know, then he shall tell you."

"Don't even ask Naruto."

"Awwwww, but I want to know!"

"No."

"How about tellin' me?" asked Kiba, using his patented puppy-dog face.

"No."

"Pleeeeeeaaaaaassee..."

"I said no."

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."

"Don't whine," sighed Kankurou. "Honestly Kiba, you aren't a child."

"You're one to talk. I'm not the one who screamed for over an hour when he got a paper cut."

"Oh my god! What the hell is it with you people and blabbing every embarrassing thing I do everytime I go outside!?!"

"Well, maybe you shouldn't do such embarrassing things all the time," grinned Naruto.

"Yeah, show some... restraint... when you're at home..."

Kankurou glared at Kiba, blushing slightly.

"Oh ho-ho, I sense a story behind that statement. Details, please?"

"Haha you wish. No way am I going into detail about that."

Naruto turned to Kiba, "How about you? You gunna dish?"

"For once, I'm agreeing with Kankurou. This is not a story to be told."

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww... Why'd you hint to a story if you weren't going to tell us???"

"Because it drives you completely insane."

"Kiba, I would appreciate if you wouldn't drive Naru-kun insane in my presence."

Kiba smirked, "Whatever you say Gaara."

Distraction in the form of a half choking Choji.

"Didn't we say to slow down?" sighed Tenten as Lee slammed Choji's back in an effort to clear his throat.

"Chew your damn food man," said Naruto as slid the napkin holder across the table to Choji.

"I never pant choke pant. That had pant to be pant the biggest piece of brownie pant I've ever pant eaten pant.

"Like I said, chew your food. We must have told you that a million times already. Not to mention Asuma, Ino, Sakura, Kakashi, Iruka, ahhh... Shino... Hinata..., and probably everyone else in the village at least ten times."

"Chewing pant wastes energy pant. Can't afford pant to waste it pant."

Tenten sighed, "What are we going to do with you..."

"Hey, if I die choking on a piece of food, then I die a happy person."

Concerned looks on everyone's faces.

"Okay then... That was disconcerting."

"Yeah, and it makes you worry too."

"Naruto, you are an idiot. Disconcerting means worrisome."

"Oh...Right."

"Anyway... Since we were on the subject of embarasing moments...anyone else have any they'd like to share?"

"No," said everyone at once. "And stop asking."

"Can't fault a guy for trying..."

"Yes we can," sighed Naruto as he scraped the bottom his bowl. "Grrrr...I always run out when i get a regular..."

"Then get a large stupid," sighed Kankurou.

"Yeah, but a large is too big, even for me..."

"Spilt it with someone. You know Gaara would love too."

"Hahaha. I very much enjoy having my own icecream. And anyway, the last time Naruto and I spilt an order all I got was half a scoop of whipped-cream and a half of an almond."

"Geeze, piggy Naruto much?"

"He so tottally is," nodded Kiba, ginning at the glaring blonde.

"Lay off the guy," said Choji as he inhaled mosr ice cream. "He's not as bad as Ino when she breaks her diet."

"Oh Kami, let's not go there..." shivered Tenten. "I saw that once, traumatized me for life."

"How so?"

"Let's just say she makes Choji look like an anorexic dieter when she's breaks her diet. It's a scary thing to watch, trust me."

"Can't be any worse than Sakura when you give her bonbons."

"Wanna bet?"

"Oh yeah. I've seen here eat ten ounds in one sitting before."

"You should have been there for Ino's chocolate cake fall-from-grace."

"Wait a second... i think i heard about that one. Wasn't that when she went nuts and ate her way through five double dutch chocolate cakes?"

"Yeah, accept they also had dark chocolate gnosh between layers and a dark fudge frosting with a half and inch of whipped-cream on top."

"Damn! That's crazy!" He paused for a second, "Wait...what's gnosh?"

Tenten blinked, amazed that he didn't know. "It's like a super thick and rich chocolate spred that they use alot on cakes and pastries. It's really good." She laughed, "Remeber that cake that was at my birthday party last year? It had gnosh inbetween the layers of cake and on top."

"Oh yeah, that was a really good cake. Huh, well, now I know what that stuff was..."

"So does that beat Sakura's worst time?"

"Yeah, that takes the cake." He grinned stupidly as the other groaned over the bad joke.

"See, this is why we tell you not to use puns. You royally suck at it."

"Aw come on, that one wasn't too bad."

"Naruto, it was terrible."

"Hmph...Last time I try and make a food joke..."

"And on another note..." sighed Kiba, ready for another topic.

"I want more ice cream..." said Choji. "But I can't think of what kind..."

"You aren't even finished with this bowl!" said Kankurou. "Worry about the next one when you finish."

"It take too long to get a new bowl after I finish with the one i'm working on. It's always best to order the next one just before you finish."

"You are such an eating machine!"

"I am not!"

"You so are!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"You so are!"

"Kankurou. Choji. Enough."

"Yes Gaara."

"Well..." yawned Tenten as she glanced at her watch. "It's getting late, and I have plans for tonight. I'd better get going." She shoved Lee and Choji out of the booth and slid out. "I'll see you guy's tommarow," she said as she dragged Lee to his feet. "You comming with me?" she grinned.

"Yes. I shall acompany you," he answered. "Goodbye everyone." Tenten waved and grabbed Lee's hand as the exited the ice cream shop.

"Hmmmm... five bucks says they're on there way to Lee's apartment for some alone time."

"Yeah, i'd have to agree with you on that one."

"Actually, some alone time sounds good to me," said Kiba, grinning consperiatorally at Kankurou.

"Now that you mention it..."

"Okay then," exclaimed Naruto. "Don't want to hear anymore of that conversation."

"Come on Kankurou; let's go back to my place..." He grabbed the smiling boy by the wrist and dragged him out.

"OMG what is it with those guys. Can they not go one day without acting like rabbits in heat?"

"Naruto, calm down. They aren't acting like rabbits. And anyway, you always seem ready to have a little fun too."

"Yeah, but I can't resist you now can I?"

Gaara grinned.

Naruto giggled at this rarely shown (in public anyway) side of Gaara.

"I believe that a hasty retreat to your apartment is in order?"

"Comming from you, that's the greatest idea anyone has ever had..." he grinned as they made their way toward home. "Today may have been long and hot," he thought as they ran into the sunset holding hands, "But tonight's gunna be longer and hotter..."