It is nearing the fifth year anniversary of the Fourth Shinobi War. It is a time for mourning and celebration. And Konoha springs into action. Though they have been passed over to host the gathering of the Five Kage they must still prepare their wares in favour of Suna.
Every year since the Kaguya's failed conquest, The Five Kage endorse the celebration of the victory achieved by the Allied Shinobi Force.
They have already formalized the prosperity and further fostering of their association. Now, it is the gathering of the representatives from the five great shinobi villages.
It is more than another political mixer. They have fought by each other to stop the end of the world. They have the luxury of calling on each other as comrade. This party is an opportunity to meet with old friends.
There has been many a new development in the past five years. Sasuke has come home and he has brought his former Taka teammates with him.
Karin – revealed to be Naruto's first cousin through their mothers, each having thought the other dead – and Suigetsu have chosen to remain at the outskirts of Konoha. She is seven months pregnant and unable to travel, though she has often loudly exclaimed that she wanted to go with her cousin to the celebration. Much to her displeasure, she is confined to her bed and her husband, now domesticated, frets over her at home.
Juugo – at one point, he has lost control over himself and his chakra. During that time, Tsunade watched over him and found to her dismay the deterioration of his body's cells from cloning experiments. She has found while cross-referencing his DNA that he was the biological son of Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina. She (and T&I) even found false programming in his mind about clan information and kekkei genkai, which was downloaded from old scrolls on the Sage Art and corroborated with by the evidence of the cave – is Naruto's younger brother.
For that and his heritage he is given the benefit of the doubt more easily than Karin. The former whom has never been a resident of Konoha, belonging instead to the destroyed Uzushio, and her lover, now husband, Kirigakure. It is only out of respect for their Hokage that the Daimyo allow the pair to live so close to the village.
Naruto has never been happier, surrounded by friends and family, as he finally reached his dream.
Today, Juugo travels with the rest of the Konoha's delegation, accompanying his older brother to the gathering of the Five Kage. They are taking a break at an inn where their traveling party converges with that of Suna.
In the pub below the inn, he stands with his older brother and Sasuke. The Hokage's advisers – Kakashi, Shikamaru and Kiba – are mingling with their counterparts from Suna.
It seems only Shikamaru is attempting any semblance of his job. Kakashi is in a corner with his ever present orange book. Kiba, though, is wrapped around his long-distance lover, Kankuro.
Juugo blinks. His brother's subordinates – friends – are not very professional. But it is peace time. He feels something like a creeping down his neck. He snaps around and almost flinches at the dead-eyed stare aimed in their general direction.
"Naru-ni," Juugo bites his bottom lip. "Lord Kazekage is staring."
Sasuke frowns and does not bother to keep his voice down as he makes his displeasure known. "That's because he wants to fuck him."
Naruto sighs and steps closer to the dark haired man. "Behave Sasuke."
The dark haired man closes his eyes and huffs.
The blonde turns into him and glares. "Gaara is my friend."
"Some friend." Sasuke glares daggers at the redhead, forgetting that the younger man is his political superior – and despite it being five years since he returned to Konoha, some people have long memories.
The Kazekage has to bite back a laugh. Gaara idolizes Naruto and cannot for the life of him be attracted to him sexually. Not that they are mutually exclusive in others. He knows that prior to his demise, Hyuuga Neji harboured a flame for the blonde.
The redhead is watching his saviour's younger brother instead. Sun fire hair, soft pouting lips, warm brown eyes, high cheek bones...he can watch for much longer if he remains uninterrupted.
Uchiha. Gaara's lips twist downward just enough not to ruin his impassive façade. His eyes bore holes into the back of dark haired man's head. Naruto has always deserved better. Still he cannot begrudge him for being drawn in.
After all, he too has been touched by the golden Hokage's light.
Even his saviour's younger brother, tainted by despair and loneliness, has found his way home.
And that boy is beautiful.
He can feel his own brother's presence even before he speaks.
"Gaara."
The redhead spares no effort to look at the brunet.
"Kankuro."
"Window shopping, huh?"
"No." Gaara glances at his older brother through the corner of his eyes. "I am not the man who fantasizes and does nothing."
"Well then…" Kankuro raises an eyebrow.
The redhead nods short and sharp. He walks clipped and efficient toward the red-orange haired man.
"May I sit?"
Juugo looks at his hands. "My brother…"
"I am not here to talk about Naruto."
Almost as if he is suddenly remembering who is talking to him, the younger man's head jerks up. A light flush spreads over his cheeks.
He blinks. "Then why…"
The flush on his cheeks darkens when he realizes he's committed another faux pas. He bows his head. "I'm sorry for being rude Lord Kazekage."
Gaara huffs to cover his laughter. The younger man may not appreciate the gesture as fond amusement and mistake it for poking fun at his expense.
Juugo tucks a strand of red-orange hair behind his ear as he raises his head a bit to look at the Kazekage.
"My name is Gaara." The redhead smiles faintly. "Your brother has no problem calling me by name. Neither should you."
"Y-yes." The younger man nods. Then almost shyly he looks up, "Gaara."
With his heart pumping quicker, he looks the redhead in the eyes. "M-my name is Juugo."
"I am pleased to meet you, in these better circumstances, Juugo."
Juugo bites his bottom lip. He can remember the last time they stood face to face. How the darkness spreads before his eyes – then nothing but kill becomes important – but in the last of the light he thinks that those green eyes are beautiful.
He stares at his lap and twists his fingers in the hem of his tunic. "I'm sorry."
"I hold nothing against you." Gaara smiles.
He leans closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "From one monster to another, I understand what it means to need to survive."
The younger man's pulse skips a beat and his eyes widen, pupils shrinking. "O-oh…"
His cheeks drains of colour. "I didn't mean…"
"Relax." Gaara leans over and clasps the Juugo's shoulder with a large hand.
It's warm. The red-orange haired man ducks his head, but not before he notices the older man's slender fingers and wide palm – it's the hand of an artist or an aristocrat. He flushes pink.
Is this what it means to like someone?
Juugo's heart beats faster. Lord Kazekage is warm…
The redhead smirks. He turns to look at his older brother. Kankuro is not where he left him. He turns in a half-circle and finds him next to his lover, who winks at him.
Gaara rolls his eyes. Trust Kiba to be crude.