Warm dust floating down, the sun was finally out of the clouds. The bookstore had a few lingering customers in the back, they never seemed to be paying attention to the boys up at the front.
Gaara, book in hand, listened to Naruto gripe about Sasuke again. They've been going out a bit longer than him and Neji but somehow had moved much quicker than they have. He didn't like to compare their relationships because he and Neji are different than Naruto and Sasuke in so many ways, but sometimes the thought runs through his head.
Why haven't we had sex yet? I have been ready many times, why has Neji been holding back on me?
"Are you even listening?" Naruto pouted, legs resting up on his desk looking fairly relaxed.
Gaara frowned at him, "I don't want to hear how much Sasuke likes to do it in public, Naruto."
"Did you guys start doing it yet?" Naruto asked, getting up from his spot to stretch out his back.
"No." Gaara sighed and sunk into his seat, everyday it seems like they have the same conversation.
"You should, I believe you'd learn how to relax." Naruto laughed, "Do you want coffee?"
The red head rolled his eyes, like that was the problem, "Yes, thanks"
Naruto jogged up the stairs to make some leaving Gaara alone with his unread book. Gaara sighed again putting it down to check on his phone.
Neji: Are you working tomorrow night?
A smile crept on his face, tomorrow was Valentines, he was waiting for this text all day.
Gaara: The closing shift is good as Naruto's.
Neji: Great, I'll pick you up after work at 4?
Gaara: I'll be here.
Gaara scrolled down his phone messages some more.
Landlord: hey gaara
Landlord: apartment 103 has some water damage so we have to do some repairs
Landlord: do you have somewhere to stay or we can get you a hotel room
Some initial panic set it, I have to find a hotel room? Would Naruto let me stay at his place? Or maybe Neji, I've stayed over there before. How long would the repairs go for? Are my things ruined, they were all on the floor. Could I get my things now?
He grabbed onto the end of his apron and stood abruptly, "Naruto!" He rasped, stumbling to look up the stairs.
The blonde poked his head out, "Gaara? What's wrong?" He saw Gaara's face was twisted with anxiety and rushed to him. The boy handed his phone off to his hands, knowing he wouldn't be able to reiterate the messages properly.
Naruto let out a breath as he read, "Gaara, it's okay." He wrapped an arm around his shoulders, "We can deal with this, no problem."
Gaara slid his arms around his neck, they were the same height, it felt much different than embracing Neji. Naruto let him as he wrote back to the landlord.
Gaara: I have a place to stay, I'll be by to pick up some things
Gaara: How long will this go for?
Landlord: that is no problem
Landlord: could be a week or so
Naruto nodded, reading the messages out loud for Gaara to hear, "Let's go now, to get your stuff. You'll just stay with us."
Gaara slipped away to get his coat and keys, watching Naruto usher wanderers out and locking the door.
[x]
Walking up the mud path to Gaara's apartment building, Naruto was amazed by how run down it looked. He didn't expect his friend to live in such a bad neighborhood. They passed old cabinets that littered the lawn as they got to the front doors.
As Gaara opened up the main door Naruto held his breath, "Oh my god. It smells like cat piss."
"It's not that bad…" Gaara said softly, pulling his bag back up his shoulder.
They pressed in, unlocking his apartment door. The fresh smell of mold and musk wafted in. "You're kidding me. This is where you've been living?"
"It didn't smell like this when I left." Gaara grumbled, covering his mouth and nose. He put his bag down and collected a few things. His laptop for sure, a few CDs and most of his clothes. He stuffed them all in the one suitcase he brought when he moved from home.
Naruto helped picking things off of the floor and neatly placed them on the counter, "You don't have a lot of stuff. Should we just take it all?"
"No, it shouldn't be more than a week, right?" Gaara said, looking at the corner of stuff his siblings left him, mostly he just didn't want to touch those.
"Ah, I don't know." Naruto stumbled unsure how to say it nicely, "Maybe you should just move."
"I can't afford anything more."
"Come on Gaara, this is a serious hazard." Naruto pleaded, looking into a crack and seeing inside another apartment room, "It's not a safe neighborhood, I can see someone in the next apartment, the smells in here are horrible and water damage? I'm pretty sure someone complained about serious mold and now they're forced to deal with it."
"I can't afford anything more." Gaara sighed again, zipping up his bag, "Lets go."
"Seriously, just come live with us. At least until we can find you a better place you can afford." Naruto's stern face stunned Gaara for a moment.
He scratched his head, knowing he was right, "What about Iruka? You haven't even talked to him about me staying there for the week."
"He's actually leaving for a teaching seminar, he'll be gone for two weeks." Naruto smiled, going through his fridge, "Wow, you don't have anything in here."
"The fridge doesn't stay cold, most of the outlets don't work." Gaara said, slowly realizing how he's been living.
"Oh my god." Naruto stared at him, "No wonder you take every shift you can."
"I'm done, let's go." Gaara picked his stuff up, the realization and embarrassment setting in.
"Do you take Neji here?" Naruto asked, helping him with the suitcase, "Because this is so not romantic, no wonder he doesn't want to -"
"Enough!" Gaara's voice dry and face red, "No more, please. I don't take Neji here, he doesn't know where I live."
"You've been dating for almost three months and he doesn't know where you even live?"
"Yeah."