This one is for Lunarwrench! Big thanks to marley_station for her help whipping it into shape!
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Mutual Misunderstanding
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A woman in a dark blue kimono kneeled beside their table. Naruto forced a smile despite the severe expression she maintained while setting down bowls containing an assortment of Suna's delicacies. It was arranged neatly in a series of small ceramic dishes for which the desert country was famous, and Naruto, noting their fragility, was afraid to touch anything. The Kazekage picked up his chopsticks and gracefully plucked what appeared to be bright green strips of seaweed from one dish. He raised a mouthful to his plump lips and ate with modest gestures. Naruto stared at his own meal hesitantly, hoping he didn't drop half the contents in the journey from the bowl to his mouth. Gaara's light green eyes flicked upward, catching the glow of candlelight emanating from the sconces on the walls. Even in the dim lighting, Naruto could feel the appraising look, the understanding as Gaara looked from Naruto's expression to the untouched dishes before him.
The Kazekage set down his own chopsticks with more poise than Naruto could hope for on a good day.
Naruto's mouth twitched. "It all looks very delicious. I'm just not used to anything so fancy." He lowered his head apologetically.
The Kazekage shifted, leaving his seiza position to curl his legs beside him. Naruto longed to copy him, to rub the life back into his aching feet, but he didn't dare move just yet for fear of upsetting the low table.
"I wished to express my gratitude but I see that I have chosen poorly." Gaara rose from his cushion. "Come, we shall find something to your liking." The loose black slacks the Kazekage wore fell neatly into place. Naruto jumped to his feet, only to realize, too late, that he could feel nothing below his ankles. He nearly toppled over, palms thrust out to absorb the impact of the impending fall, but Gaara's hand was there, gripping his firmly and pulling him back up. Naruto leaned his body against the kage's, curling his toes fiercely to force the blood to move and grimaced at the sudden onslaught of tingles rushing up his legs. He clung to the Kazekage as they walked it off, and only when Naruto fully regained the use of one foot did he notice those in the restaurant staring at the way he clung to the other man like a girl who had found herself no longer able to walk in her own shoes. He released his grip suddenly, murmured a hasty apology and excused himself while the Kazekage settled their bill.
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Gaara kept his distance as they strolled down the bustling street. The shop owners bowed as he passed and he returned their evening greetings. Naruto felt a little misplaced beside him, noting belatedly that Gaara's loose black slacks and long sleeved shirt were finer than he originally thought. The quality of the fabric was well above Naruto's own ninja gear and he looked down at his worn clothing, stained with dirt and an occasional splash of oil. He wished he had taken Sakura's advice and dressed a little bit nicer.
He was distracted by the delicious smells emanating from a noodle stand. He closed his eyes and sniffed the air, allowing his feet to take him to his inevitable destination.
"It's served cold like soba," Gaara commented at his shoulder. "Or fried, if you prefer it hot. Would you like to try it?" he asked, and Naruto found himself nodding enthusiastically while his stomach rumbled in agreement. Gaara ordered one of both. The attendant, who wore a black bandana over his head, nodded silently and began tossing things into a pan. Naruto relished the resounding sizzle of vegetable and meat. He lifted his nose to the air and inhaled deeply, practically tasting the flavors from the scent alone.
"Whatever it is, it smells delicious!" Naruto exclaimed. He grabbed two small cups from the stack on the counter and picked up the sweating pitcher of iced water. He poured himself and Gaara each a glass, reaching carelessly for one to slide it along the counter. As Gaara reached for the glass simultaneously, their fingers brushed. The Kazekage glanced up in surprise. Naruto followed his gaze and it was only then that he realized their hands were still touching.
"One order of cold somen," the chef announced, reaching over the high counter to place their dish in front of them. Naruto pulled his hand away and reached for the hot dish carefully.
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Gaara watched him, and Naruto could feel the gaze burning into him, the green eyes visible in his peripheral vision. He had been quiet during their dinner and quiet now as they strolled down a quieter street toward the kage's clay tower rising like a gray shadow.
Naruto couldn't remember ever spending so much time with the leader and for once, he was running out of things to talk about.
"Ne," Naruto began, clasping his hands behind his head as he looked up at the sky. "What are you going to give Kakashi-sensei and Sakura? You know . . . to thank them!"
The Kazekage bent his head, seemingly puzzled over how to answer this.
"I can help you think. . ," he began, but a surprised exclamation caught his attention. He glanced up at a petite girl with a Suna hitaite displayed prominently on her forehead. Her eyes were fixed on Gaara as she jogged the short distance between them.
"Kazekage-sama!" she bubbled. She glanced at Naruto and bowed in greeting. Her attention was short-lived and she turned back to her leader, her face splitting in a grin that spread across her freckled face. "I'm surprised to see you here, you so rarely leave the kage tower! What brings you down to the village?"
Naruto glanced at Gaara curiously. Green eyes flicked up at him before shifting back to the subordinate looking at him with expectation. Gaara's shoulders stiffened, his hands still in his pocket as he lowered his gaze. "I am escorting an important guest tonight," he said. Naruto flushed with pride.
The girl hesitated, her eyes widening in slight confusion. "Escorting? As in an escort mission? I can show him back to his destination..." she smiled at Naruto and reached for his arm, but Gaara raised his hand to stop her.
"No, not a mission," he responded. Naruto hazarded a glance at his friend and noted the flush high in the Kazekage's cheeks. "I wish to escort him myself," Gaara said and Naruto watched the young girl as that information sank in. Her smile faded and her brows knit as she puzzled it out.
"You mean... like a date?" she whispered and Naruto laughed, drawing surprised looks from them both.
"No way," Naruto shook his head, "right?" he asked.
Gaara paused and looked at the ground, his face absent of any merriment as he gave a single nod.
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Naruto leaned his hands over the window sill and tightened his grip over the pebbled surface. The Kazekage stood beside him, his hands carefully at his side. An uncomfortable air had risen between them and grown thick like a dividing wall. Naruto puzzled over how to address it, his mind toying with questions he had not yet figured out how to voice.
Gaara had always been aloof, but Naruto reflected on the events of the evening and wondered if he had missed something. After the surprising question regarding the nature of their relationship, the Kazekage had seemed to withdraw even more than usual and all Naruto's chattering was met with absent nods and murmurings of agreement.
Naruto tapped his fingers against the windowsill. He had offered to see himself back to his own room, but Gaara had protested, asked if he could show him something and Naruto had agreed. Though Gaara had invited him, he received the impression that Gaara didn't want him to be here and for the first time Naruto experienced what he had only heard referred to as awkward silence.
"Hey, is this…" Naruto turned his head.
"I apologize," Gaara spoke simultaneously and the two boys paused. Huddled against the narrow windowsill there was not much space between them to begin with. Naruto licked his lips and swallowed uncomfortably when he noted how close Gaara's face was to his own. Gaara closed his mouth, his green eyes focused on Naruto's mouth before he turned his head away.
"I apologize," Gaara started again, "if you took offense to my subordinate's comments." He spoke with an edge of detachment Naruto had not heard in some time. Naruto scowled, feeling anger spike in the pit of his belly.
"Hey, don't do that!" he growled, not sure what "that" was, but only his dislike for this feeling, this sense of divide growing wider between them. His hand jostled Gaara's shoulder as though bringing him physically closer would get rid of it. "I'm not offended," he said and his hand grew still, noting the bright flush in the Kazekage cheeks. He had flushed back then too, when the subject of a date was brought up.
"It just never occurred to me," he continued, his hand sliding free from Gaara's shoulder. "I've never been on a… date before."
Gaara looked at him again, mouth parted in mild surprise before his gaze dipped back to Naruto's mouth. He rubbed his lips together with an air of determination and before Naruto could react, Gaara was leaning forward, tilting his face up. Naruto's first reaction was a panicked effort to turn his head.
Gaara's lips pressed firmly against the edge of Naruto's mouth and the leaf shinobi froze, not daring to move while he squeezed his eyes shut and silently cursed. Of the many stupid things he had done in life, this was perhaps the first he would regret.
Gaara broke away quickly. He turned to leave, but Naruto reached for his hand, his fingers curling against the kage's wrist.
"Wait, let's try it again," he said.
Gaara shook off his hand. "It's not what you want," he growled.
Naruto couldn't remember the last time someone looked at him with so much hatred in their eyes. He frowned, realizing this time he had earned it. He reached for Gaara's hand again, tugging him back to the window.
Gaara refused to meet his gaze.
"No, but it's what you want," he said. "And if it means I get my friend back, then I consider it worth it."
He released his grip. Gaara didn't protest or try to move away. Naruto took a deep breath and tried to remember what Jiraiya-sensei had taught him. "First dates are supposed to end with a kiss," he whispered. Gaara's face had hardened into something expressionless, but Naruto focused on his eyes, on the slight lowering of his eyelids as though he wanted to shut his eyes but didn't dare. Naruto took Gaara's face into his hands, his palms cupping the smooth cheeks.
His heart began racing as he bent his head, repeating the three steps of the perfect kiss under his breath. Gaara's eyes slipped close and his face seemed to glow, unearthly beneath the bright desert moon. He gasped as Gaara's lips brushed his own and fit as though they were meant to.
He was supposed to turn his head and use his tongue. He was supposed to use his mouth just to tease until the kiss could be deepened. But feeling Gaara's mouth, his lips soft and moist, and the barest movement like a caress made his breath hitch and the other steps were forgotten.
It was Gaara who stopped and pulled away and Naruto stayed still, his hands and his cheeks warm. He closed his eyes and released a shaky breath. Not of relief, but something different, something that churned like the fox in his belly and would not go away.
Gaara's hands came up to Naruto's, tried to pull them down. Naruto sighed again and held on, one thumb sliding against skin and shook his head.
"I did it wrong. I forgot," he paused, licking his lips. "I forgot some steps," he said. He tipped Gaara's face back up and lowered his mouth until they nearly touched. "Let me try again."