...Gaara POV. Only a mention of being lovers, still keepin it T. If you missed it, there was a definite timechange between Markings and Tanuki. We're Shippuden now- post Gaara death (man that pissed me off when I first read it!)...
Gaara sighed softly breaking the silence that had settled over the room shortly after Naruto had climbed into bed with him. For once, the blond had fallen asleep first. Naruto's mission must have been exhausting. Gaara smiled softly as he found his partner's face in the dark. His fingertips sought out the thin lines of chakra. He smiled again when he felt his fingers begin to hum. He followed the lines, pleased that he could find Naruto's whisker like markings even in the pitch black of the bedroom. Ever since that first day in Konoha when he had touched them, Gaara had found himself obsessing over the little markings. Much to his chagrin, Gaara wasn't allowed to touch them. Even the few times they had made love, they had been off limits. To be fair, Gaara had set boundaries on his peculiar features first. He didn't understand it himself.
Naruto was handsome. His skin always looked tan but Gaara could not remember a single time that Naruto had experienced a sunburn. His eyes were bluer than anything Gaara ever had the pleasure of seeing in Sunagakure. The blond hair, unruly no matter what Naruto did with it, was a particular sore spot with Temari.
"No man should have hair that gorgeous!" She had huffed and Gaara had simply smiled. He nuzzled the blond head. No man should be this gorgeous. Yet, if he had to pick his favorite part of his blond lover, the whiskers would win hands down.
It wasn't just that they were unique to his lover, they represented what had brought the two together in the first place. They were reminders of the isolation that both had felt. Reminders that they both needed love fiercely. The paternal love that Naruto received from Iruka and the love of his friends was just as important to Naruto as Kankuro and Temari's awkward love was to the redhead. But this kind of love, the love between Naruto and himself, was essential to the Kazekage's survival.
No, he didn't understand why they stuck to this ridiculous rule. Gently stroking Naruto's whiskers, Gaara made up his mind. He woke Naruto with a kiss.
"Naruto," Gaara breathed.
"Yeah," Naruto muttered sleepily.
"Touch me."
Naruto was suddenly wide awake.