Songs: Chaka Khan - Whatcha Gonna Do for Me, Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry On Their Own, Whitney Houston - Saving All My Love for You, Beyonce - Déjà vu, Patti LaBelle - If Only You Knew, Beyonce - Me, Myself and I
Sorry about the late update everyone, you won't believe how much has been going on lately. But recently I've learned one of the most valuable lessons I've learned thus far; love yourself and only then can you love others. I'd like to thank you guys for all of the reviews, the love and most importantly the support. It's refreshing to know that somebody supports this fic and that I'm actually being heard. The last chapter turned out a little less controversial as I intended it to be but this chapter should clear all of that up. I have to admit that I've been sugar coding the shit out of this story as far as the NFL and its treatment of gay and bisexual men. I really need to get better with that because it is my mission to be real. I must be real or I'll be a hypocrite, and a big one at that. If there are ANY people listening that are being told that something is wrong with you, you're an abomination, you're a freak, queer, fag, dyke etc. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU. You are beautiful, you are a PHENOMENAL person inside and out and don't you let anybody tell you otherwise. Don't let anybody tell you that you're not an amazing person. If you think that nobody loves you, you're wrong. I love you, with all the love that I harbor in me. Ending your life is not the answer. Whether you think so or not, you WILL be missed. You are golden. It's ok to be who you are. It's perfectly fine to love yourself whether you're lesbian, gay, bi or transgender. IT GETS BETTER. If you're wondering why I'm saying this; it's because I'm sick of all the hate and prejudice surrounding us and if I can do anything to stop at least some of it, in the name of every word of passion I can muster, I'll do it. Your life is precious like emeralds, emeralds untouched by the harshness of the world ~
A comfy apartment unit on a rainy day, Monday, about 5:00, beginning of week One
The rain pattered on the window that provided a glance into the dimly lit apartment unit.
The time was a tired one.
Gaara collapsed his faulty umbrella and fought to turn the rusty lock before pushing in the stubborn door. He threw the wet and sorry protection from the rain onto the floor next to the door and did the same with his bag next to the sofa/bed.
Fred ran from his warm cotton bed on the floor to greet his owner.
As Gaara went to the closet he stripped out of his clothes and into a pair of shorts and a small t-shirt. He sighed heavily as he felt the relief of not having to think about anything outside that tiny unit.
He reached into the sagging cabinet and pulled out a bag of popcorn. Fred's tongue hung from his mouth. Gaara reached up to grab a bowl from the top shelf only to have it fall on his head and bounce off of his neck. He winced at its contact.
The soreness of that one spot on his neck opened the floodgates for a mass flow of memories and emotions to enter him again. All the flesh that had been victim to his touch lit up as would a candle after being kindled by a flame.
As the popping of the popcorn in the microwave complimented the rain seeping through the ceiling and falling into the bucket below, Gaara found himself missing the blonde haired man whose touch he just couldn't shake.
After he removed the smoking bag from the microwave and sat down on the sofa/bed with a soda, Fred jumped up onto the spread and Gaara tossed him a few kernels just to abide by their usual popcorn routine.
Looking to drown out conflicting thoughts of the QB he turned on the analog television that he found on the side of the road. Its screen sputtered for a few brief moments and soon the picture became clear.
Gaara flipped through the channels in foreign languages and nearly choked on the food in his mouth. He then realized that it was pointless to try and escape Naruto, his blue eyes were inevitable.
On the TV screen were highlights from the previous night's game. Naruto was seen running across the field at break-neck speed, living up to the name that his fans and sports reporters dubbed him in the past and present.
Gaara's vision droned onto him as the two men in headsets bragged on the QB.
"Uzumaki is, needless to say, at the top of his game; and according to last night, on top of everybody else's game too!"
"I agree. His stats speak for him. He's the best in the league"
Gaara sighed at the thought. He couldn't believe it all. He flipped the channel and sure enough, another station was dedicated to his talents. Gaara grumbled to himself and looked down to Fred.
"You see? They dedicate every fucking channel to him for tossing a leather ball across a turf field"
The dog cocked his head up at his incredulous owner. Gaara shrugged it off and flipped to another channel that was dedicated to Naruto but for a reason that made him fear for his life.
A woman stood in front of her news desk with her blonde hair pinned back.
"In the latest scoop, Naruto Uzumaki has stated that he is in fact seeing someone. The question is; who is it? Who ever this mysterious woman is, she must be a bombshell to capture the eyes of one of the most powerful men in the country"
A picture of Naruto entering the Spanish restaurant appeared on the screen as the reporter continued to talk. The only indicator that he was with someone else was a red blur in front of his arm.
Gaara scurried to the front of the sofa/bed to get a better glimpse of the photo on screen. Sure enough, it was him. His stomach churned. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!
He placed a worrying hand on his forehead. This isn't happening! His manager's gonna kill him and then she's gonna come for me. I've ruined his career! Ruined it!
The distressed red-head got up and began pacing the floor of his small unit. There was something that had to be done. There must have been. Shit! Should I call him? He looked down at his phone.
"No! I can't call him! What if he doesn't know? He'll be furious!" He exclaimed to himself making Fred give him a 'this mother fucker is crazy' look.
He snapped at the birth of an idea. "I'll call mama; she'll know what to do!"
He snatched his phone up and pressed a few spaces on the screen and put it up to his ear. Waiting for the other end to be answered he sat down on the sofa/bed to avoid disturbing his downstairs neighbors with his anxious pacing.
"Hello?"
"Mamaaaa!"
"Well, hello to you too Gaarbie-chan", she said chuckling.
"No, this is no laughing matter. I'm in trouble, I don't know what to do, I need help, what do I do? What do I do?"
"Darling, slow down, take a deeeeeeep breath", she said soothingly.
Gaara inhaled and then exhaled at length. "Ok"
"Now what's wrong?"
"You remember that Naruto guy?"
"How could I forget? You talk about him practically everytime you call me"
"I do not"
"Oh please, 'Mama he's so sweet' and 'Mama I really like him' and 'Mama we almost had sex'", she mocked him laughing.
"ANYWAY, the paparazzi sort of caught us walking together into this fancy-schmancy Spanish restaurant"
"What's so bad about that? It's not like he had his arm around you or something..."
"Well..."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Gaara yanked the device from his ear to prevent hearing loss. "Yeah, I told you I was in trouble"
"Did they get a good shot of you!"
"Fortunately not a good one; all they saw was a blur of my hair, but still. His manger knows it was me and I'm already on her bad side. It's her job to protect him from things like this"
"Ok, ok. First of all, let's not panic"
"You're the one panicking!"
"I know but this is so big. I mean, you were photographed in a romantic position with one of the most powerful men in the country"
"Thank you dearly for pointing that out mother", he complimented sarcastically.
"Well, we have to address the situation first"
"Ok, we've addressed it. So what should I do?"
"Call him"
"What good would that do?"
"After growing up in my house, you of all people should know that talking about it is the best solution"
Gaara sighed. "I guess you're right". He shifted in his sitting position as Naruto came up on the TV screen again as the football highlights dictated yet another channel.
"But what should I say? 'Hey, we've been caught'?"
"Just tell him that you'll comply with anything that his manager sees fit for his image, and just tell him how you feel"
"What if she doesn't want us to see each other anymore?"
Karura sighed. "I'm afraid I don't have the answer to that one baby, but I know you'll do the right thing"
"Thanks"
"Anytime"
They hung up and Gaara did numerous double-takes to the TV screen and the screen of his phone. Here goes nothing.
He pressed Naruto's name on the screen of his phone and put it up to his ear nervously. Each dial tone hit him like a tone of bricks.
"I'm guessing you saw the photo"
"How did you know?" Gaara felt a wave of relief come over him.
"Trust me, every picture of me with a 'mysterious lover' gets run by Sakura before it gets too viral"
"Wait, let me get this straight. You took me to all these places and you knew the paparazzi were watching"
"Yep"
"But what about the whole 'holding the door open' 'gentleman' crap?"
"No offense but from the distance that security keeps paparazzi at, you can easily pass for a woman"
"Gee, thanks"
Naruto chuckled.
"But what about the rain and the kiss and the stuffing me into your car and you driving up to my apartment?"
"In the neighborhood you live in? They don't want the story that bad"
"Again thanks", Gaara said sarcastically.
"Sorry, it's just that you're so easy to keep a secret"
"You say that like it's a good thing"
"Gaara, I don't know how to put this to you but...I'm not ready to tell he public that I'm bisexual. And quite frankly, my fans aren't ready to find out"
Gaara swallowed the response he initially wanted to give the QB. "I-I'm fine with that"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I mean you have a lot to risk and if I wanna be with you I have to accept that"
"But that's the golden question"
"What is?"
"Do you really wanna be with me?"
Gaara paused for a moment. That's a good fucking question. "I don't know, Naruto"
"..."
"I mean, cut me a little slack. I'm still getting used to the fact that you even took a second glance at me that night"
"Well, I did and I know it's a lot to handle being a 'secret' behind a pro-football player. But I'm here"
Gaara smiled. "That's good to know"
Naruto paused for a minute. "I miss you"
"I miss you too"
"I was thinking about flying you out to me, if you want me to"
"You can't wait three weeks without me? I'm flattered"
"After three failed attempts to nail you still stuck in my head? Hell no"
Gaara laughed loudly.
"I'm serious. I've been mad as fuck this whole time. Sexual frustration's beneficial on the field but a pain in the ass to sleep with"
"I'm sorry"
"You should be. If it wasn't for Sakura barging in and you holding out, I'd be much happier man"
"I'm watching the recap of the game and it didn't look like your game suffered much"
"Yeah, thanks to you"
"I promise, I'll make it up to you when you get back", he purred seductively.
"You're making it worse"
"Fine, I'll stop", he said softly. "Daddy"
"I'm serious Gaara, quit playing!"
"That's just revenge for all of the time you've went too far!" They both laughed bowlingly.
"You're being cruel"
"I'm sorry but I didn't know you were this bent on sleeping with me", he said, voice dripping sarcasm.
"You're so fucking funny"
"You know, I know what your problem is"
"I don't have a problem"
"Denial is part of it, but I think you're still getting used to the fact that I'm not one of your little pussycats"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" His voice rose in anger.
"You're frustrated because I said the word 'no'"
"Believe what you like for now but you're just making it worse for yourself for when I get home"
"So now you're threatening me?"
"No, I'm telling you that I'm gonna fuck your brains out when I get home"
"You don't scare me"
"That's easy for you to say in another state"
"You don't scare me in New York, and you don't scare me in LA"
A man in the background said something.
"I have to go", he said gruffly. "I'll finish this with you later"
"Ok", the red-head said accepting the threat before him.
"I'll call you back later on tonight"
They hung up and Gaara fell back down onto the sofa/bed as he held the black device to his heart. If this is what falling in love feels like, then now I know why it makes people do stupid shit.
As hard as it bites, I'm keeping my sights on you
Whatcha gonna do for me, Whatcha gonna do for me
When the chips are down...
A tall building in downtown LA, the 40th floor, 8:00
Georges Montevallo sat high in pride in his leather chair on that high floor as the people below bustled about despite the rain.
Since birth he was trained by his father, uncles and older brothers and sisters to be a lethal weapon.
He was indeed good at his job but according to his own account, he had much to learn even in his thirties. He puffed a Cuban cigar as he placed his shiny black shoes on the top of his glass desk.
A young man walked into his office through the wooden door. "Mr. Uzumaki is on his way up, sir". Georges nodded at the young receptionist before he left out of the spacious office room.
He killed without ever seeing his victims in person all before to spare himself the possibility of deciding to spare their lives, risking unwanted attention and a loss of thousands of dollars which he would be paid.
This however was a special job, and a special client. Georges knew Minato from his early days as a young CEO and when Georges himself was still being trained by his family of trained assassins.
The door opened again revealing the young receptionist, frightened for his life by the towering man, and Minato who looked down at the effeminate young boy with a disgusted sneer. Georges chuckled.
The young employee scurried out of the office.
"I see you've taken a liking to my assistant"
Minato snorted. "The faggot shouldnt've looked at me like that"
"He is a dedicated worker despite his orientation, you know. I got him when he was only tall enough to reach the top of the copying machine"
"Enough with the small talk, let's get down to business", he said slapping a few files and a few photos onto the desk. "I want to get this shit started"
Georges offered Minato a cigar, which he gladly accepted and took a long puff. "You never really explained why you want this kid dead".
"Georges, it's a matter of principle", Minato stated. "You of all people know how much I love my son. My pride and joy, that boy is. But he's so damn stubborn"
"Meaning?"
"I've nearly broken my back trying to yank this little faggot shit out of him, but no avail", he took a puff. Georges got up and went to the counter next to his desk and poured the both of them a glass of Scotch.
"I've given him the option of some of the most gorgeous women in the world, nothing. So, the way I see it is that I've only got two choices"
"Which are..."
"I could easily disown him, but that wouldn't do much good. He'd be just as powerful without me"
"What's your other option?"
"That's where you come in my friend", Minato stressed. "I'll just have to cut the cord from the other end"
"You do know that I charge extra for anyone under 21, right?"
"I'm aware, it's worth it". He took a gulp of scotch. "If I can save my son from making a huge mistake and ruining his career for some queer"
Georges went back behind his desk and intertwined his fingers in the leather pallet in the center. "So how do you want this to go down?"
"I'll let you know when I want him dead, for sure". He took another gulp of Scotch. "The kid knows I hate him and probably already blabbed it to his mother. I can't have two bodies on my hands"
"So..."
"So I'll have to let him get in comfortably first", he said smiling. "You mind if I tell you a little story Georges"
The younger man leaned back in his chair and motioned with his hand s for Minato to continue. "If it'll help me understand what that hell is going on, by all means"
"When I was younger, my father would take me hunting. I looked forward to those trips every year. My father was one of the best hunters I'd ever seen. He always used to take me with him to hunt deer. You should try it one day, really. But there was one technique that he always told me to use hat I still haven't forgotten and probably never will. He said to make as little noise as possible, just to get the deer to be still, the last thing you wanna do is scare him off. And then when he's content with his surroundings; then and only then do you make your move", he took another puff of the thick tobacco product.
Georges sighed. "I understand now"
Minato smirked. "I thought you would"
End of week Two, Friday night, Midnight, Maude's
The restaurant had a different look that night.
It was as if the men in the seats before the stage, the booths and the men at the bar were unusually calm that night. The queens weren't being harassed; the waiters weren't being groped or ogled at.
Angela was behind the front counter and looked across the establishment to see a somber red-head picking up a tip left on the shiny wooden table and stuffing it in the silk pocket of the tight garment.
That night was 'Black night' and Angela wanted all of her boys to be in tight black and form fitting silk body suit that covered his neck down the his bare feet. Sections of the suit were replaced with fishnet like the inner thigh, back, sides, hands, neck and half of his ass.
The busboy was out with a fever. Gaara grabbed a wet rag from the bucket and began to scrub the table. The last party was a group of mid-aged men who knew nothing of the word 'clean'. Lemons, BBQ sauce, crumbs and all types of edible debris littered the table.
Angela sighed. He usually lit up whenever he got a generous tip.
Chloe sat behind her in her chair as she filed her nails. "Any person with sense can tell why he's down", she said matter-of-factly as she looked up over the brim of her 50s chic glasses.
Angela looked down at the hostess and back at Gaara. He sighed heavily as he wiped away the stains on the dark wooden polished table.
The student felt Angela's presence come up behind him and he looked up from his task to see her understanding face. "Come on, sweetheart. What's wrong?"
He looked up at her again with a guilty face. "Nothing's wrong".
"Oh don't give me that bullshit. You've been working here for almost a year and a half. I know when something's wrong with you, now spill!"
Gaara sighed again. "I'm just tired, that's all", he lied, hoping that she would take his answer and leave him alone.
"Well, I noticed that a certain football player hasn't picked you up from work in the last two weeks", she folded her arms across her bust and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for him to let down his guard.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"He's been gone for two weeks, that's a long time to be apart from a significant other. Trust me, I understand", she said with a soft tone.
Gaara chuckled. "I think 'significant other' is pushing it a little".
"Oh please", she said dismissing his display of denial. "You two are a couple if I ever saw one".
"Well, I'll admit we've been seeing each other but we haven't gotten serious or anything"
"You know, I ought smack you for lying like that"
"What? I'm not lying", he pleaded as if to his mother who would have given a similar response. "We haven't even had sex yet".
"I sure as hell hope not!"
"Why not?"
"Sweetie, one thing you'll learn about powerful men is that after a while, women falling into your lap isn't exciting anymore. They want something to chase after"
Gaara put the wet and filthy rag in the bucket as he sighed softly. "You're right. I was lying".
"MmHm", she concurred confidently.
"It's been like a dream, these last few weeks", he said as he walked away to the kitchen area in the back. Angela watched him as he exited the quaint openness of her inherited establishment.
That poor child. She walked back to her original post and said a silent prayer for Gaara's troubles.
Monday, beginning of week 3, a private jet
The cabin was painted with the deep voices of teammates as the plane reached 30,000 feet.
Naruto looked out the window at the cotton clouds as they masked the face of the setting sun. He leaned back and ran a hand through his blonde hair; a few guys behind him were playing a loud game of poker.
Sasuke was already calling one of his old flames in the next city in which they were to soon land. The coach and a few of the team members were in a heated discussion over the previous year's Super Bowl.
The heat that emitted from Gaara's face in the QB's mind seemed to melt all of the noises, voices and conversation together into one sonorous ring in his ears. There was nothing on that plane that could tears mind and thought from each other.
Sasuke, in the middle of his conversation, stopped to see his best friend glowering out the window; an unusual sight where as he was usually the life and heart of these plane rides from city to city.
The woman on the other line called for Sasuke when she heard him stop in mid sentence. He jumped out of his state of concern.
"Oh, yeah, sorry about that. So we're on tomorrow night?"
"..."
"Good, see you when I get there", he said quickly as he placed his phone next to his Mimosa. He looked at Naruto's face. It was an expression that he hadn't seen on his face since they were in high school.
"Naruto"
He didn't notice someone addressing him; His mind fought the urge to allow the sound of the outside world in, threatening to be separated from Gaara's face.
"Naruto"
Still nothing.
"Naruto!" He barked as he snapped his fingers in front on his face.
The QB looked as if he'd just come out from a short period of comatose. "What?" He answered with a tone of bother.
"What the hell is with you, man? You've been zoning out ever since we left LA"
"Nothing, I'm just ready to get back home, I guess", he half-lied as he sighed deeply. Sasuke's expression clearly conveyed the he wasn't satisfied with the lie that was just fed to him in an obvious effort to shut him up.
"Since when do YOU want to go home early?"
"Sasuke..."
"And that's another thing, we went out to four strip joints and you stayed back at the hotel for all of them. What the fuck is that?"
"I told you already, I'm just ready to get back to my loft"
"You didn't even do the 'how many groupies can you bang before we leave' thing. It's fucking tradition!"
"Look, I told you the truth. Do whatever you like with it", he said flatly as he picked up his phone. A smile suddenly graced his face for the first time during the entire plane ride.
Sasuke gave him an inquisitive glare. He connected the dots in his mind. He leaned close to his best friend causing him t retreat a little.
"Don't tell me you wanna get back because of that little boy-toy"
"Gaara, has absolutely nothing to do with me wanting to get home", he said confidently as he continued to smile into his screen on his phone.
Sasuke put his hands up in relent as he retreated to the back of his seat. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but there was a feeling of collapse inside him. Collapse of the way things used to be and collapse of the confidence that he had in things going the way he predicted in the future.
Naruto smirked as he looked out the window. He soon stopped wishing for people to understand how hi felt. It was a feeling that was all his own.
Thursday night, a corner office that over looked the slums of LA
One of the taller buildings that over-looked the long street that ran behind Maude's was located on the very edge of the corporate half of LA.
The building belonged to an investment agency that had recently gone into business. It was owned by the son of a wealthy and retired man's youngest son. The revolving door of the business was spinning all day.
The door spun all day by the propeller of hundreds of women and men coming in with high hopes and the belief that their business as worth giving life to.
The receptionist at the front desk was reading that month's edition of Vogue when she heard the clicking of a pair of high heels approaching the marble countered desk. She looked up to see a brunette in a stunning frock.
"How may I assist you today ma'am", she said in her best voice out of respect for the woman who held such a high regard for herself.
The woman flipped a lock of her brilliantly shining brown hair and flipped it away from her eye. "Yes, I have an appointment with Mr. Donovan".
"Under what name?"
"Charlotte Manassey"
The receptionist looked through the list on her computer screen fro a brief moment. "Oh yes, he asked about you earlier".
Charlotte gave a fake smile.
"If you'll just take that elevator and-"
"I know how to get to his office, thank you", she interrupted briskly and walked away to the elevator that she about to be directed to. The flipped her hair again as she looked afar when the elevator doors closed.
The receptionist scoffed her as she turned back to her magazine. "Well, excuse the hell out of me, bitch".
When the elevator doors parted again and they revealed the eighth from the top floor, the mail room worker in brown gave the young woman a suggestive smirk. He opened his mouth to flirt with her.
"Please, don't even try", she said abruptly as she breezed past him.
She walked toward the office door to the left of them. He gazed at her from behind. "Damn, that is some kinda woman", he said as he let the elevator engulf him down to the first floor.
Charlotte knocked and opened the door to reveal her best friend James Donovan glued to his computer screen, gazing at all of the clients on tab for the next week. He hardly turned to greet her.
"Tear yourself away from that computer screen for a moment, will you", she ordered abruptly as he reluctantly turned to her.
"Now, why exactly did you want to see me again?"
"Because", she began as she put her handbag on his desk. "There's been a ...development"
His brown eye brows rose as high as the floor they were on. "Go on..."
"Well, it turns out that there's a little about this kid that nobody knows", she said pulling out a file. "And when you find out you'll know why".
James leaned back in his chair.
"I did some digging and I happened to run across a trial that went down about 6 years ago".
"Trial?"
"Yep, it just so happens that the kid's mother has a few skeletons in her closet and the little slut allegedly had a role in it too".
"What were the charges?"
She scoffed. "That half-witted district attorney wouldn't budge. I'll fix him later but that's all I have now"
"Isn't that enough?"
"Goodness no, I have to find out what it was that happened, it could make all the difference in the world"
"I suppose you're right"
Charlotte rose from her seat and went to the window. She peered across the view outside and laid eyes on Maude's, just a block and a half away from the building that they were in.
"What are you looking at?"
For a moment, there was no answer. "I'm just watching the night lights, they're beautiful", she said smiling deviously. She watched the street that ran behind the pub and sighed to herself.
She could see a certain red-head leave the establishment with a bag over his shoulder.
Oh how I love watching you suffer.
She leaned against the wall and watched dreamily out the window as she watched her prey fall into a trap that she set. She started talking to James about his latest fling.
Down below on that same wretched street that Gaara was forced to tread in order to catch the bus; his head was spinning after such a bout of weeks.
In only a short while he was tossed into an entire world that was all new to him and out of no where, ripped out of it and forced to wait three weeks to be given back to it
With his messenger bag over his shoulder he, walked up the curb that started the street that was filed with prostitutes, drug dealers, pimps, drug addicts and homeless persons that slumbered amidst the madness behind the dumpsters.
Gaara always felt like he was unsafe going down that street but it was on the evening when he truly felt like his life and wellness were in unusual jeopardy.
It was a humid night.
Angela's costume idea for that night was merciless as usual. Gaara's only defense was to cover himself with his messenger bag as he scurried to the stop on the other end of the block.
His skin crawled when he heard a familiar hum of a car come up behind him, he began to walk faster. The car's music was blasting loudly. A druggy that Gaara walked pat called out to him for a few dollars.
The passenger window to the car rolled down and it revealed two men, one of whom Gaara had gotten to know very well in the past few weeks, much to his protest. He scoffed and kept walking.
The newer man called out to him. "Hey baby, why the rush?" Paul burst into laughter in the driver's seat as the car drove up closer to the curb.
Gaara kept walking with a frustrated look on his face. He had to admit that he was playing hard to get with Naruto. More than ever, he wished that the blonde haired man would pull up and whisk him away just one more time.
Gaara's heart began to race when Paul swerved onto the sidewalk, blocking his path. He looked with heightened fear as he saw the two taller, older, and much stronger men exit the vehicle.
The other man with Paul was a taller man, not as tall as Naruto but taller still, with black hair and a hulking form. He tossed his cigarette on the ground and put it out with his large boot.
Gaara tried to escape in the other direction and Horace grabbed him roughly by his arms and pulled him close. His face was nearly inches from Gaara's. The red-head cringed at the foul smell of his breath.
"I usually fuck women but, I think you'll do", he said in a sultry voice as he crushed Gaara's lips into his, trying to force his tongue into his mouth. Gaara slammed his fists into the man's tough chest to no avail.
The taste of beer and cigarettes filled Gaara's cavity along with Horace's saliva.
Paul came up behind him and yanked his bag to the ground. Gaara began kicking wildly as Paul and Horace dragged him to the alley next to them. Gaara screamed hoarsely as he thrashed in their captivity.
A few crack heads cackled at his predicament from around the corner. "Ha! Look, they got him!"
Paul ran his hand into the crevice of Gaara's ass. He could no longer kick where as Horace had his leg pinned down on an old mattress.
"My brother warned me you were a handful", the older man grabbed him by his cheeks and unzipped his pants. He pulled out his throbbing length and slapped Gaara with it.
Just do it and you'll get out of here.
Gaara shut his eyes tightly and bit down on Horace's testicle as hard as he could. The large man roared in agony as he punched Gaara fiercely in the face, knocking his breath away. He couldn't let that stop him. He had to get away.
He kicked Paul fiercely in his groin allowing him to break free. He left the two men writhing in that alley, scooped up his discarded bag and ran down the street with every ounce of energy left in his body after working all day.
He didn't look back but he could hear the hookers laughing at him. "Oooh, bitch you better run, they're catching up!" They all burst into uproarious laughter at his plight as he finally took a look back to see the two men gaining on him.
The fact that the flickering street lights were the only form of light in that abandoned street didn't help matters very much as Gaara ran to the bus stop and was relieved when he saw the bus already being loaded with passengers.
He climbed on, out of breath, and rushed to his seat. Horace and Paul were right outside the window and glowered at him menacingly from on the ground as the bus pulled away. Horace punched the bus angrily and shouted obscenities at him through the window.
"This isn't over bitch!"
Gaara received many looks as he tried his best to catch his breath. For the first time he noticed that his nose was bleeding from Horace's harsh blow. Blood dripped down onto his fishnet; he pulled a tissue out of his retrieved bag and wiped his face.
He wanted to just curl up in a ball and cry, but pride wouldn't allow it in front of a bus full of people in front of whom he had already profusely embarrassed himself.
After only a few stops the bus pulled to a stop in front of Gaara's apartment complex. He hesitantly exited his temporary safe haven and got off. His legs shook from the adrenaline that had still resided in his veins.
Gaara still couldn't shake the feeling of unsafety as he walked across the street to his apartment complex. He jumped at even the smallest noises. He could've sworn that somebody was near until his hear a cough in the shadows.
He took off running frantically towards his building.
Scurrying furiously up the stairs, a section of the rusty rail snagged onto his fish net sending him toppling to the ground. He scrapped his knee on the concrete causing even more injury and tearing the fabric.
He limped as fast as he could to the door, unlocked it and locked himself safely inside. He schlepped into the closet for a fresh pair of clothes after Fred ran to his worn owner and he dropped his belongings on the floor.
He rushed into the shower and turned on the hot water. He let the hot liquid run over the fresh wound and hissed a little at the pain. He slowly let the water run over his naked body as he washed the filth off of himself.
Gaara got out after a long cleansing and looked at himself in the old mirror. His nose had stopped bleeding and his knee started to feel better. He put on a pair of short shorts and a small t-shirt before walking into the main room and falling out on the sofa.
He then longed to be near Naruto more than ever. He would only put up a shield for Naruto to think that he didn't want him to protect him but he had to admit to himself that the thought was nice.
Baby I can't go anywhere without thinking that you're there
Seems like you're everywhere it's true
Gotta be having Déjà vu
Because in my mind I want you here, get on the next plane I don't care
Is it because I'm missing you, that I'm having Déjà vu?
The weight of the past events began to take their toll and Gaara let the first tears of his own fall for a brief moment. He couldn't fully take in being away on his own from his small home in that small town, being a cocktail waiter, and meeting and falling in love with a quarter back.
Suddenly his phone started vibrating under him. He pulled it out and it was Naruto. He didn't know whether to be happy or be afraid of him knowing that he'd just been crying. He quickly wiped his tears and cleared his throat.
"Hello?"
"Hey...Gaara, what's wrong?"
Gaara looked at the phone in astonishment. How the hell...?
"Gaara, tell what happened"
"What makes you think something happened?"
"You sound like you've been crying"
"Well I haven't"
"You're lying"
"I know, but you weren't supposed to find out"
"Well I did now what's wrong dammit"
Gaara sighed. "Paul and his brother roughed me up a little that's all"
"WHAT?"
"Now that was the reaction I was afraid of"
"I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA KILL THOSE LITTLE FUCKERS!"
"NARUTO!"
"WHAT!"
"Calm. Down. I'm ok, he barely hit me", Gaara lied putting a hand to his nose.
Naruto's breath became calmer. "Look, I didn't mean to get all crazy like that, I just can't control myself when I even think about somebody hurting you"
"It's ok, I'm fine"
"I guess it doesn't help much that I miss you so much. Those damn cowards knew I wasn't there to kick their sorry ass"
"I miss you too"
"You should've seen the guys' faces when I told them that I was gonna sit out on tonight's strip joint fest"
"I'm guessing that's your thing"
"It was, until I met you"
Gaara stopped briefly, that statement made his stomach flutter wildly. "You shouldn't let me stop you from having fun with your friends"
"That's just it. I can't get into anybody else right now"
"Why?"
"How can I get into a stripper when I've got a hot red-head waiting for me at home?"
"Thank you, I guess"
"It's true. I can't stop thinking about coming home. This is THE longest I've gone without sex in my adult life"
"I made 'the bullet' go a month without sex? Go me"
"Celebrate now, because that's gonna be as long I'll wait"
"So if I don't let you fuck me tomorrow, you're gonna break up with me?"
"It's possible"
"I think you're bluffing"
"Everybody's entitled to their opinion"
"And why should I have sex with you just so you won't dump me?"
"I don't think you realize who you're dealing with"
"I'm dealing with someone who thinks quite highly of himself, though unnecessarily"
"If you'll ask any woman that's been with me, they'll fill you in"
"Oh, you mean all of the woman across the country who you slept with and forgot the next morning, oh yeah they'll really put in a good word for you"
"You're funny", Naruto said sarcastically.
"So I've been told"
"Hey, jokes aside, Sakura, Sasuke and I all camp out at my loft after every out of state thing, wanna join?"
Gaara sighed dejectedly. "I don't know Naruto, I tossed Merlot on one of them and both think I'm a gold-digger"
"Sakura's coming around"
"And Sasuke?"
"Yeah, he hates your guts"
"Naruto!"
"Come on, I'll be there"
"You live there; of course you'll be there"
"We've won every game these past three weeks, do it for me"
"...fine"
"Perfect"
"Well on the bright side, with your friends there now we can't possibly have sex"
"Wait, Gaara"
"It's late Naruto, but I can't wait to see you tomorrow", Gaara said smiling down at Fred as he hung up before the QB could get another word in.
Naruto looked at the phone and chuckled to himself. "We'll see about that".
Across the city of LA, Charlotte drove up to two men, both holding ice from the gas station up to their crotches, in a taxi.
She rolled down her window. "What the hell happened to you two?"
"We want extra"
"I'll give you no such thing!"
Paul approached the car. "That bitch bit him in the nuts and kicked me in mine. That at least $100 extra"
"You're going to take what I give you or you'll get nothing but two pairs of sore balls", she snapped coldly at he two complaining assailants.
"Paul just take the money", Horace said still wincing from his sore groin.
Charlotte handed the two of them $300 each and drove off without another word.
Friday, late afternoon, 4:30, a busy airport in LA
Jet lag ran rampant across the busy LA airport as thousands of people got on and off the jet way to and from their planes.
People stopped and greeted the mass of football players with congratulations and requests for autographs. The groupies were not far behind in their high heels, low cut dresses, tight jeans and short shorts.
Even if there strenuous efforts to primp themselves to perfection only got the men to glance at their infinite beauty that would be enough. Naruto couldn't be more indifferent to women throwing themselves at the team.
Sasuke and Jiraiya looked at him strangely. The coach looked back at Sasuke.
"Where the hell is he off to?"
Sasuke sighed, not wanting to unveil his best friend's secret. "I can't even begin to tell you".
Naruto rushed through the crowd to look for the third party of their circle of knowing each other. Sasuke had since departed from the group and the rest of the team, tired; all went their separate ways until the next practice.
Sasuke had to scurry a little to catch up to Naruto trying his hardest to rush Sakura out of the airport to the car.
"Will you quit it!" She punched him on his shoulder. "What the hell is wrong with you!"
"Me. Home. Now", he spelled out for her arising an initially inquisitive look as he walked out to the car. Sakura turned to Sasuke with a look of a giddy child.
"I don't know about you, but I know why he really wants to get out of here so badly". She smirked and followed the QB out of the terminal doors. Sasuke grumbled obscenities about Gaara under his breath as he reluctantly followed the two as well.
It was as if there was a joke or a riddle that everybody else understood but him and it was beginning to become a pain.
In the car, Sakura and Sasuke sat in the back seat and Naruto in the front passenger. Martin could feel the anxious vibe that the blonde haired man emitted and couldn't help but press the gas pedal closer to the floor.
Sakura leaned close to the back of the head rest. "I know why you're so anxious to get home", she said with a mischievous voice.
"I don't know what you're talking about"
"Oh, don't play coy with me. I saw the way you two made out before you left, not to mention you were about to attack him like a wild animal before I came in".
"Have you been drinking?"
"Yes, but that's besides the point"
"And exactly what is 'the point'?"
"You should invite him over tonight"
Naruto sighed and looked ahead. "I already did".
Sasuke jumped up from his laid back position and got as close to him as Sakura. "WHAT!"
"He's had a rough week. He got attacked in an alley, exams, bills, his boss piling overtime on him. I want him there with me"
Sakura gasped. "He was attacked in an alley?"
Sasuke, feeling a tinge of guilt, retreated to the back of his leather seat.
"By who?"
"Some little fuck who's been bothering him lately", Naruto's fists clenched at he subject. "I almost killed him last time I caught him"
"Oh my goodness, that poor kid"
"Then the bastard had the nerve, or lack there of, to bring his brother"
"There were two of them!"
"Yeah"
"Is he ok? Did you talk to him?"
"Yeah he's fine"
"Since when do you care?" Sasuke said with his arms crossed from the back. Sakura looked over at him with a scowl.
"What are you talking about?"
"Just a few weeks ago you thought he was a weak little kid who needed to run back home to his mother and now you act like you were smitten from the start"
She paused to give him an ugly stare. "Now I'll admit that I was a little quick to judge him at first but unlike you I can look past my own opinions long enough to see that he makes MY best friend happy"
Sasuke glared back at her.
"And quite frankly, I don't know if you can say the same"
"I don't believe this bullshit! Just because he's giving him the run around for sex, you call that fucking happiness?"
"And what the hell would YOU know about happiness 'Mr. I make bets on how many women I can sleep with before sundown!'"
"GUYS!" Naruto looked back at the two quarreling adults. They both stopped glaring at each other to look at their best friend.
"I'm 26 years old, I can decide for myself who I want to date", he said calmly. "And quite frankly If I want to see Gaara, I'm going to fucking see him"
"I concur", Martin said in his thick British accent. "The young chap is quite a character"
The entire car went silent as everyone gaped at the usually quite driver. "The lad had me all but bursting with laughter over an interesting conversation over his Mum"
Sakura looked over at Sasuke with a 'see, even the driver thinks Gaara's a sweet kid' look. They pulled into the parking garage and traveled up the winding driveway to Naruto's designated parking space.
Naruto got out of the car first and left the both of them to get up to his unit on their own time. It was evident that he was sick of people telling him what he should think about Gaara's intentions, if he even had any.
The two joined him in the elevator and the machine lifted the three of them to Naruto's floor. Naruto unlocked his loft and all three of them threw their bags on the floor beneath them.
Naruto immediately called Gaara before walking into the master bedroom and closing the door behind him.
Sakura turned around and slapped Sasuke fiercely on the cheek. He growled in pain as he grabbed his stinging cheek.
"What the hell is your fucking problem!"
"My problem? Oh no, YOU'RE the one with the fucking problem!"
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"
"Oh really now, you mean to tell me you don't know why ever since Naruto's been with this kid, you've been acting like you have a football lodged up your ass?"
"Well last time I checked, keeping this guy away from money-hungry leeches was YOUR job!"
"Gaara is not a money-hungry leech. He's a sweet kid who just happens to be financially unstable"
"Yeah right! He's got fucking dollar signs in his eyes and you know it"
"No, but I do know that YOU are in no position to criticize ANYONE on their choice of companion!"
"You call it sleeping around, I call it putting myself first", he said smugly walking away.
Sakura sighed as she regained the strength not to pummel the look off of his face. She followed him to the sofa where he sat down and propped herself on the arms of the chair nearly inches in front of his face.
"Look, I don't know what your issue with this kid is and honestly I don't care", she said above a whisper as she heard Naruto's voice coming closer and closer to the other side of the door that separated them.
"But at least have the decency to keep your asinine remarks to yourself. You don't know this kid, what he's been through in the past or lately". Sasuke could almost taste the mint off of her breath.
Sasuke looked into her eyes and could feel a surge shoot through his mid section and soon his strong arms captured the petite woman onto this lap in a fiery kiss that seemed to last for eons.
Sakura's fair hair mixed the darkness of Sasuke's as her small hands roamed down his sculpted chest.
Naruto erupted from the bedroom door, still ending his conversation with Gaara. Sakura leaped off of a smirking Sasuke and straightened her clothes before secluding herself to the edge of the longer sofa in front of the TV.
"It's no problem, I understand"
Sakura turned around to see Naruto's smile hanging by a wire as he was visibly receiving bad news.
"I guess I'll see you tonight"
"..."
"By the way, you think you can put on something a little sexy tonight, I could use the view"
"..."
"Forget about my friends, God knows I wish I could", he said jokingly. Sasuke took it more as a 'wake-up-slap' and less of a joke as he began to feel guilty for wishing that Naruto were straight on the plane the day before.
"..."
Naruto grinned widely. "Yeah, that'll work".
Sakura looked up at her best friend with a playful disdain as he hung up the phone. "Did you really just ask him that?"
"What? I haven't seen him in three weeks. I think I deserve a treat for holding out"
"You sounded like a dog begging for steak"
"I guess you can think of it like that"
The both of them laughed light-heartedly as the sun began to go down. Sakura got up from her sitting position as Naruto rummaged through his clear glass refrigerator for a beer.
Immediately regretting wearing a pencil skirt with her suit that day, she made the mistake of choosing the path that crossed in front of Sasuke. He ran his hand up her gray skirt as she walked by earning him a punch in he arm before Naruto could submerge from the allows of the refrigerator.
"So what do you guys wanna eat, it's my turn to buy", she offered as the redness slowly crept out of her cheeks.
"I thought we were gonna wait for Gaara"
"What time is he coming?"
"Well I was gonna pick him up from work at 9:00 but he insisted that I let him take the bus"
"After what happened to him? He'd have to take at least three busses to get here"
"That's what I said, but he wouldn't budge and on top of that he wants to go home to change"
"Yeah, thanks to you"
"Well, he is a champ at bus hopping", he said to himself chuckling as he took a swig of his beer.
"I still think you should have insisted"
"I did"
"Well obviously not enough"
"And you think you could've done better?"
"Of course, you suck at persuasion. That's kind of why you hired me as you manager"
"You don't know Gaara. Persuading him is like trying to infiltrate fucking Ft. Knox"
"Well being 19 in LA, is there any other way to be"
"Yeah, I guess", Naruto said as he began to think to himself about all of the things that Gaara had to endure when they were apart.
I dream of moments we share, but you're not there
I'm living in a fantasy
No, you don't even suspect, could probably care less
About the changes I've been going through...
A studio apartment only a few miles from Naruto's loft, about 7:00
The streets were fully dependant on the street light by then and the streets were littered with the Friday night's civilians.
The lights from the office building reflected off of Victoria Emerson's apartment that was littered with fashion magazines, sewing materials, fabrics and pin cushions.
The woman, shorter than she could be proud of, scurried to the front door when she was awakened from her mire of ideas for dresses, evening gowns and frocks by a loud knocking on the door.
She looked through the peephole to see her best friend since childhood waiting to be let in. She quickly unlocked the many locks on the rugged looking door to reveal a brunette with mascara dancing a lamentable dance with her sorrowful tears about her face.
She stopped sniffling to speak up. "You mind if I crash here for a few nights?" Victoria tore herself away from the sight of he smeared makeup to notice the duffle bag messily stuffed with clothes over her shoulder.
"Oh darling, you don't even have to ask!" she said guiding the distraught woman into her home after locking the locks back behind her. She ran to the restroom and came back with a handful of tissue and makeup remover and began to clean her clown-like face.
"What happened? What's wrong? Tell me, something!" Victoria said to her slumped over best friend sitting next to her on the couch.
She wiped the mucus away from her nose. "I went to see him at the airport".
Flashback - Earlier that day
The young woman walked into the terminal with a confidence that was deemed by her stride and sunny smile: unbreakable.
Many men whistled and tried to flirt with her but only one man was the king of her mind and heart.
She wore a short red low-cut dress that hugged her curves from bust line to hem.
She sat patiently down at one of the seat near the doors to the jet way, looking at the clock.
She nervously tapped her shiny black pumps in anticipation. Her hair was pinned up just the way he liked. The things that made him love her were a law code that she dared not deviate from.
The doors opened and a few short applauses rang out for the winning team of that city and Charlotte felt a tinge of bliss breathe trough her.
She couldn't put into words how much she longed to be the woman behind one of the best athletes in the country, to feel that some of his success was dedicated to her, the love of his life, his treasure, his prize.
She waited for a few moments as a few men looked at her with a look that made it clear that they were in for a show.
She waived at them genuinely as she waited a little longer until she saw Sasuke walk out. She leaped from her seat.
The older man greeted her happily with a kiss on the cheek.
"Charlotte! It so good to see you, you look amazing"
"Always the charm", she said coyly.
"What's the occasion?"
"Actually I'm here to see Naruto", she said looking away. "I miss him so much, some days it hurts"
Her red lipstick was bold as her face morphed into one of longing and one of unhappiness.
"Well he's coming, he lost his phone on the jet", he informed. "You know, I must say he's been attached to that damn thing all month"
"He always misplaced that thing" she said silently reminiscing as they both shared a laugh.
"Oh, here he comes", Sasuke warned playfully as they both saw Naruto glued to his phone as he walked down the corridor.
"Wish me luck", she said as Sasuke walked away to leave the two to themselves. As the older man walked away he secretly wished that Charlotte would be forgiven. He wished it vehemently but silently still.
At least then, he would be comforted in the fact that things would be the same again.
Charlotte stood in front of the exit of the jet way with her hands placed humbly in front of her.
"Naruto?"
The man looked up with an initial glance of curiosity as to who addressed him. The glance twisted into one that clearly read back to Charlotte the betrayal that he felt so long ago.
"Charlotte, what are you doing here?"
"I came to see you", she said looking up at him. She was always attracted to the way he towered over her even in heels.
"I missed you"
Naruto sighed. "Charlotte, don't do this"
"Do what?"
"This, you coming up to the airport all dressed up out of no where"
"But you didn't answer any of my calls; I didn't feel like I had any other options"
"I can't believe this", he said walking past her. She grabbed him softly by his shoulder.
"Please, Naruto, just listen to me I have something to tell you"
"I don't wanna hear it Charlotte"
"Will you just listen to me?"
"No, you think you can just show up two years later and think I'll be free to run back to you again"
Charlotte feigned a hurt look. "There's someone else?"
"Yes", he stated sternly. "And from the looks of it they don't intend on having a threesome with two of my teammates anytime soon"
Charlotte's lips quivered. "H-how could you say that?"
"Look, I can't take this right now. Goodbye Charlotte", he said as he turned around and left her to contemplate the events that just took place.
Yet her tears weren't directed at her own guilt, the loss of a relationship or even her own embarrassment; it was directed at who Naruto didn't know that she had knowledge of.
She hated Gaara more than ever.
It was then when she discovered that killing him would only send Naruto into a world of grief that would be locked off to her. She had to change her strategy; drastically and soon.
Victoria held her friend in her arms as she cried her eyes out with the pouring out of that day's events. She released herself from her friend loving grasp and looked up at her for a moment.
In that moment, Victoria couldn't quite tell what was in Charlotte's eyes until she got up and went to the window.
Charlotte looked out and could faintly see Naruto's lofts that towered over the rest of the apartments buildings in that area.
"Charlotte darling, what is it?"
Initially there was no answer.
"Vicky..."
"Yes? Darling you're scaring me"
"I didn't want to have to do this but, now I'm afraid I don't have a choice".
A phone call
"Hello?"
"I've got eyes at the boy's job"
"What about his apartment?"
"They're all in place"
"Perfect, now all there is to do is wait for the right moment"
"I've got other jobs lined up. When do you propose that this moment will come?"
"Be patient, if we shoot him in broad daylight, a lot of fingers are gonna point straight to me"
"He's only a minor working at a queer joint. Not very much will come of that"
"Trust me; I've got people close to me who've already seen how much I despise him. It's too much of a risk"
"Are you sure? Because if I wait too long then he might catch on and we'll both go down"
"I'm positive. If we do this we, do it clean"
The sidewalk outside Naruto's loft, 10:00
Gaara walked quickly along the cracked pavement as he heard many cars honk at him on his way towards the tall building made up of stacked homes and busy elevators.
His nerves were on pins and needles as one or two cars stopped by the curb. Luckily they were only older men who mistook him for a prostitute.
He wanted to look good for Naruto so he wore something that he was sure to catch his fancy. He wore a red and black tight v-neck t-shirt, a pair of tight black booty shorts that were ripped on the thighs, fish net where the top was hidden under his shorts and his favorite fragrance; vanilla in summertime.
He was still getting used to the idea of making himself look a certain way to impress somebody, outside of work purposes. He wore a spiked wrist clamp.
He couldn't go through the parking garage and decided to enter through the front door. The all black, low-top converses he wore were his guide as he treaded up the steps to the pad and speaker.
Fuck! What loft is he in? He bit his lips as he looked up the large panel of buttons with numbers underneath each one, some of which he wasn't tall enough to reach anyhow.
Right! That corny joke he made last time, he remembered. Naruto had come with a funny way to remember his unit number at times like the one Gaara was stuck in.
'Just think of how many times I asked you to sleep with me and multiply it by how many ugly looks you got from my groupies that one night'.
Gaara laughed at the thought of it as he stood on the tips of his toes to reach the button '786'.
Gaara struggled to hold it down until someone answered.
"Yo"
"It's Gaara"
"Gaara! Come on up"
Gaara laughed to himself at how excited he sounded. It amazed him infallibly how he could still feel those damned butterflies in his stomach after all of this time. It was a strange thing to feel when he still couldn't see very far into the future.
As he entered he walked past the laundry room where Mrs. Jackson was walking out. She and her granddaughter Julia came to the university to get their hair, nails and make-up done twice every month, which was the only time Julia's mother allowed her to see her grandmother.
Mrs. Jackson owned more stocks than Gaara could count, yet she chose to live in a modest loft by herself at 78 years old.
"Gaara!" She said putting down the basket and running over to give the red-head a hug.
"Mrs. Jackson, it's so good to see you two", he said genuinely. "Do you guys need some help?"
"Oh no we're fine. Besides, it looks like you're here to see somebody", she said inquisitively looking at him over the brim of her glasses.
"Yes ma'am, a friend of mine is back in town and he asked me to spend the night", he said holding up the small bag of items over his shoulder. Julia, only three years younger than Gaara, confided in him for everything while he did her make-up.
"Oh my goodness, Gaara so much happened this week; I'm just dying to spill!" She said happily as Gaara laughed softly.
"I can't wait. You guys are stopping by on Tuesday right?" He felt a wave of relief that finals were over and he only had to worry about their beauty without the presence of term papers. He needed a break more than anything.
"We'll see you there", she said as they picked up their baskets and went out to the opposite elevator. "Save a chair for us sweetheart!" She said as the elevator doors closed.
Gaara smiled to himself as he felt like the hateful sneers pointed at him at the university were given worth by the loving grandmother and granddaughter.
He stepped into the elevator that led up to Naruto's floor and watched the elevator doors close. He felt a wave of relief come over him as he was closed in alone but his relief was short lived as a bulky man only a few inches taller than him in his early 20s entered mid way.
Gaara scooted to the front of the elevator as it began in motion once again. The man behind him took a long gaze at Gaara's back side. He audibly showed his interest.
"You ever took a dick in an elevator before", he said running a hand down Gaara's back. The elevator door opened and Gaara mumbled a 'no thanks' under the sounds of him scrambling out and into the hallway.
He walked up to Naruto's front door and saw the elevator take the brash older guy down to a lower floor. "I'm on the first floor if you change your mind", he said as his voice faded.
He knocked on Naruto's door and the butterflies frenzied in his stomach as he heard each lock be unlocked. The large door opened to reveal Naruto, who'd still not undressed from his press conference in the previous city.
He wore Armani shoes, black slacks with the fine stripes going down, a black leather belt and a black tank top.
"Hey", Gaara said nervously as he found himself being lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms. Naruto set him down, still saying nothing, and kissed him passionately as if they'd reunited after years of separation.
Naruto locked all of the many locks and pinned the red-head against the wall. "I missed you", was his sultry greeting that sent chills down Gaara's spine.
"I missed you too", Gaara said above a whisper as Naruto attacked his lips again. He could feel Naruto's hands running down his back, around and down into the valley of his lower back.
Gaara moaned generously when he felt Naruto grope him forcefully and bite into his neck.
"You smell so good", he complimented as he wrapped his strong arms around the younger boy and inhaled his Vanilla smelling hair and neck. Surprising Gaara, he grabbed both of his legs and wrapped them around his waist.
Gaara could feel Naruto's belt buckle against his heat making him whimper softly. Naruto looked at him with a sly smirk. Gaara's cat-like eyes drove him wild.
"Looks like somebody's happy to see you", Sakura interrupted with her arms folded across her bust. Gaara's eye widened as he frantically jumped down from Naruto's constrictive hold against he wall.
"Sakura! Hi!" He said straightening his composure. He expected her to give him a weird stare and yet, she came up to him and gave him a big hug. Gaara's mind went racing. WTF!
"Good to see you sweetheart", she said smiling at him. Gaara turned around and looked at Naruto who only shrugged. He saw Sasuke on the sofa with a beer watching TV, ignoring his presence completely.
Ok, Gaara, swallow your pride and apologize...Wait, no! He's the one who said I look like a hooker and that I want Naruto's money, and I'm the one who has to apologize. This is some hardcore, class A bullshit.
Gaara walked over and stood near Sasuke's sitting form.
"I guess we kinda got off on the wrong foot so I'd better apologize"
"Don't bother, I'm over it"
Naruto scowled prevalently and stalked over. "Stop being a little fuck and take the damn apology", he barked making Sasuke's head turn. Sakura snickered softly in the background.
"Fine", he said taking another swig of beer. "Apology accepted".
Gaara giggled inaudibly behind his palm as Naruto winked over at him. Sakura decided to give Sasuke a little line for life and change the subject.
"So, Chinese, Italian, Southern, Mediterranean? I'm starving"
Gaara walked into the kitchen as Naruto's eyes following his swaying figure. "Actually, I was wondering if I could cook for you guys"
"You can cook?" Naruto inquired as he suddenly appeared inches from Gaara. The red-head took a few steps away and went into his bag and pulled out an apron.
"Is that hard to believe?"
"No no, It's just that...you can cook", he said not blinking.
"Yeah, I used to help my mother in the kitchen all the time", he said as he rummaged through the seasoning cabinet. "All of this stuff is still unwrapped".
"That's because he's never home", Sakura said snidely giving Naruto a 'and you know it's true' face.
"You can cook", Naruto repeated still in awe.
"Naruto are you ok?" Gaara asked giggling.
"You're cute and you can cook, he's sold", Sakura joked.
"Yeah and there's one more thing I want, I think he knows what it is", Naruto said smugly as he walked into the kitchen and slapped Gaara hard on the ass while he was bent over looking for a pan.
The red-head yelped softly making Naruto chuckle. Sakura shook her head in disdain.
"I feel so sorry for you Gaara", she said as he came up with a decent sized pan and looked at her with a curious expression.
"Why?"
"Because you have a horny 6'7, man incessantly poking you in the back with his dick", she said bluntly making Gaara burst into laughter.
"You're terrible"
"It's true. I honestly don't know how you aren't annoyed already"
Naruto smirked at her. "Jealous?"
"Oh please, I'd rather screw Bill O'Reilly", she said turning her head. "At least then I'd be angered by his racist, homophobic blabber and have something to debate afterwards"
Gaara laughed as he turned on the fire under the skillet.
"So Chef, what's on the menu tonight?" Naruto said leaning against the sink.
"Well, I was thinking about fried rice with pan grilled chicken, and maybe a little baked salmon, just for giggles", he said.
"Have I got a good one or what!" Naruto kissed the red-head on his neck making him laugh at the sensation of his low cut chin hair on his skin.
Sakura smiled genuinely at her best friend's display of affection. It made her even surer that this Gaara was real and in fact far more real that anyone she's seen him with. It warmed her heart to see him in love and that was clearly what it was; love.
Sakura went and sat down by the sofa and Naruto stayed in the kitchen. Gaara had already put the salmon in the oven, the chicken was done after about 30 minutes and he was still stirring around the rice.
Naruto wrapped his strong arms around Gaara's slim waist. Gaara smiled as he felt His broad pecks on his upper back and neck. He felt safe and warm in his embrace.
"Go away I'm trying to cook", he joked, not really wanting him to leave. Naruto buried his face in Gaara's neck just to get another sample of his attractive scent.
"No", he said into his neck. "You smell too good"
"You know I have to admit. It was kind of scary coming here by myself"
"That's exactly why you're never going anywhere by yourself for the rest of your life"
Gaara chuckled. "Thanks"
"You don't have to thank me", he said resting his head down on Gaara's shoulder. "I guess I like protecting you"
"The food's almost done"
"Let's not tell them"
"Why not?"
"I like holding you like this"
Gaara smiled to himself as basked in the warm safety of Naruto's arms.
Over by the TV Sakura looked over at them and cooed to herself. "Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever seen?"
Sasuke grumbled in response.
Sakura boiled over. She scooted over to him and got close to him but far away enough as to avoid another event like the afternoon's.
"Ok, let me guess you think he should be with Charlotte again? Because there's NOBODY who makes him act like this", she whispered angrily.
"In fact yes, Charlotte has more going for herself, she's older, more mature and she's-"
"A woman?"
"That's not what I was about to say", Sasuke said looking away.
"Face it, you still can't accept the fact that he's bisexual", she accused.
"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about"
Sakura looked at his as if he were pathetic. "I think I do", she said coldly.
Sasuke began to ignore her.
"Naruto would give you the shirt off of his back and you can't do something as little as be happy for him", she said at him.
"You're pathetic", she said striking a nerve in him. She got up and walked away as Gaara called everyone to eat much to Naruto's protest.
Gaara whipped off his apron and wiped his hands with the towel by the sink as everyone took their seats.
He surveyed his worked displayed across the counter and thought of his mother, he hadn't seen her in so long. He missed his own home dearly as well.
At the table in the middle of the loft Gaara brought everybody there plate before fixing his own food. As he left to get back to the kitchen, Naruto turned to speak to Sasuke who currently was laden with guilt.
"Hey Hot Sas'", he said calling him by his childhood nick name. "Sorry about snapping at you like that earlier"
He didn't respond.
"I know you didn't say much but thanks for being ok tonight, pal", he said giving him a hard pat on the back.
"And Sakura, damn girl you came around so fast, I almost forgot you didn't like him to begin with", he said as they both laughed.
"Don't mention it, all I care about is that you're happy honey", she said pinching his cheek.
Sakura looked at him across the table. Sasuke avoided her eyes and picked ate food before him.
Gaara came back with his own plate only to see that there were only three chairs. "Crap", he said looking around for an extra chair.
"I guess I'll go sit on the sofa for now", he said about to walk away when an bulky arm grabbed him and pulled him back.
"No you're not", Naruto said.
"Yes I am"
"No you're not"
"Yes I am"
"No you're not"
"Yes I am"
"No you're not"
"Are we really gonna do this?"
"Yes because you're no sitting on the sofa", he said scooting his chair and stretching out his long legs. He patted his left thigh motioning for him to sit on his lap. Gaara reluctantly sat down on Naruto's mid section.
The QB ate with his long arms around Gaara's waist.
The table was initially silent as Gaara beamed at the people eating his food diligently. Little did he know, everyone ate his food as a distraction for the elephant in the room that was their relationship and the subject of Charlotte being at the airport; and the fact that Gaara was the only person who didn't know her.
Naruto decided to lighten the mood. "This feel like a good position for later?"
Sakura nearly choked on her salmon.
"Smooth", Sasuke said as he began to feel a little better.
"And what makes you so sure that there's even going to be a 'later'?"
"I have a knack for this type of stuff"
"Well, I think your knack needs a little tune up", Gaara said taking a bite of the food he made. Sakura laughed heartily.
"Damn, he's good", she complimented as she took a sip of wine. As Sasuke and Sakura laughed, Naruto whispered something into Gaara's ear that made a red tint creep into his cheeks.
After the food was devoured and the dishes were put up, Gaara rummaged through his bag for something to sleep in. Naruto came up behind him and grabbed him by his waist.
He still wasn't quite used to being pursued by someone of Naruto's notoriety.
"Sasuke and Sakura are asleep and I'm about to hop in the shower", he said in an inviting tone.
"And?" Gaara said sarcastically. As he found a short pair of shorts and a small t-shirt, he found Naruto without a shirt, his hairy and chiseled chest greeting him.
"Are you gonna come quietly or am I going to have to use excessive force", he said smugly.
Gaara giggled. "You sound like a stripper at a bachelorette party", he said laughing softly. Suddenly he found himself being hoisted over Naruto's shoulder and into his bed room. Naruto closed the bedroom door behind them.
Gaara yelped softly as Naruto tossed him onto the bed. "Ow! I'm not a football you know"
"You hop in first; I'll catch up in a sec"
Gaara got up and pranced into the bathroom. "I'm still not sure if I want you to see me naked", he joked playfully.
"That's the least of your worries"
"Don't be too long, you might just get locked out", Gaara said closing the door a little as he stripped down out of his clothes. His dialogue was flirtatious but the butterflies in his stomach were going mad in his stomach.
Naruto looked at his phone.
1 unread message
Charlotte M.
I hope one day you'll change your mind, baby.
Naruto tossed the device aside and stripped out of his clothes before tossing them in the straw basket in the corner. He walked into the bathroom to see, fishnet, shorts, a t-shirt, a wrist clamp on the floor.
Opening the foggy door, it revealed the most gorgeous sight he'd ever laid eyes on. Gaara was rinsing out his hair with his back turned to Naruto. He couldn't give up on his body, shining wet before him.
The shower was fairly large and Gaara turned around with a sly smile that complimented his cat-like eyes that drove Naruto wild. He grabbed the soap bar and bathed himself as well to take care of business initially.
He grabbed Gaara by his slim waist and backed him up into the shower wall; he winced at the sensation on his back. Naruto kissed him madly, as the hot water ran down Gaara's back.
The QB kissed down his neck and bit down in a new spot making him give a satisfying moan. Passion took control when Gaara ran his had down the hairy torso and hovered his hands about the throbbing loin near his hand.
Not a word was spoken when Naruto ran his hands down Gaara's back and grabbed him by his legs before wrapping them around his waist. He looked the red-head in his eyes.
"Are you ready for me?"
Gaara's spine tingled just at the proposition.
"Take me", he breathed softly under the hot water. As Naruto pulled a condom down from the top of the shower wall, Gaara couldn't hide what he wanted to say, something he waited to say to someone deserving.
"Naruto?"
"What?" He answered as he rolled the protection onto his heated loin.
"I love you"
Naruto felt as if his eyes had been opened after a month of being blind.
"I love you too", he said before kissing the red-head passionately. Those words allowed him to breathe again, for he wouldn't be able to go on if those three words weren't uttered back to him.
Gaara winced tightly as his heat was entered for the first time in his life. He felt like he was being torn to shreds inside until his heat was willing enough to let Naruto in. He gasped at the sensation of his inner walls being massaged gently.
He wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck as he slowly slid in and out of him. Gaara cried the older man's name with every entrance.
Deeper and deeper the QB drove as the legs around his waist tightened, giving him better access to the goldmine that was Gaara's precious love. He grunted hoarsely as he could feel Gaara's walls tightening and loosening around his manhood.
The pleasure overwhelmed the younger lover as his eyes threatened to roll back at the feeling of Naruto dividing him.
He called the older man's name louder as his cries were ornamented with soft moans against the wall and Naruto begging him to hold on for just a little longer. Gaara tightened his legs as Naruto began to go deeper into him.
He completely submerged his enormous length into Gaara's making him all but scream Naruto's name.
He quickened his pace, making the red-head's cry waver in sound.
Naruto begging him to hang on for just a little while longer began to whisper blissfully into his ear. "Quit fighting me", he said as he felt one last barrier that just wouldn't give.
"Let me in", he said as he dived in as deep as Gaara's heat was making him arch his back in euphoria.
Naruto began to grunt loudly as his climax drew near.
Before Gaara could imagine what the sensation would feel like, warmth filled his cove and he cried Naruto's name one last time.
He slowly slid out of Gaara and yanked off the dripping protection. Gaara was still trying to catch his breath. Naruto turned the water off and kissed Gaara fully again, giving the last bit of his virginity to the blonde haired man.
"That was ...", Gaara said still trying to catch his breath. "Wow"
Naruto smirked down at his as he unlatched himself from Naruto's waist. He wobbled to his feet at first making Naruto chuckle as he opened the shower door. Gaara grabbed on to Naruto's bulky arm for support as he dried himself off in front of the mirror.
The red-head was about to bend over to pick up his t-shirt when Naruto stopped him.
"I want to feel you next to me tonight", he said scooping Gaara up into his arms and carrying him to the bed. It was a feeling of safety and comfort as Naruto climbed in bed and Gaara painted himself onto Naruto's right side.
Gaara was carried off to sleep by the warmth from Naruto's bare and hairy chest. He only wondered, would things be the same in the morning.
In the morning
Will you be there in the morning?
To love me, love me
Love me...
The next morning, 6:30 a.m.
The sun was barely up and the soft sounds of the elevator being used could be heard from inside Naruto's loft as Sakura slowly opened her eyes. She looked over to see that Sasuke had already left.
Probably went to the gym to work off some guilt, she reasoned to herself as she got up from the leather sofa and went to the guest bathroom across the hall to get dressed.
The fair haired woman was not always a very strong believer in a woman's intuition, but even she had to admit that she could feel that something was wrong. It was the same feeling that one would get while watching a house of cards fall, yet in a more amplified manner.
Once in the guest bathroom she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was neatly confined under a pink and frilly night cap that she relied on to shield the world's eyes from her contemptible morning hair.
She stripped out of her clothes and enclosed herself behind the shower curtain underneath a steady stream of hot and soothing water as she let the hot liquid clean her for the forth coming day.
She let her mind slowly drift off to Gaara, her strange feeling from before led her thoughts to the red-headed youth for a reason that was more than foreign to her at the moment.
Minding the possibility of being a hypocrite, she wondered what Naruto would be like if he'd never met Gaara.
Well that's easy. He'd still be club hopping every night with Sasuke and the team; landing countless women on their beds and hotel beds, and disregarding every law of decency known to civilized man
Some things never change.
As she lathered the cinnamon-vanilla soap in her hands and over her body she let her mind travel back to the way things used to be before professional football.
Flashback
A young 17 year old girl stood by her locker with her books in hand; waiting.
The bell rang loudly above her head as student began pouring out of their classrooms. She watched them go by.
Many of them were either on their way to football game, getting dressed to perform at halftime or heading to the locker rooms.
It always amazed her how Friday night football was the one thing that high school students looked forward to at the end of a week rather than many more potentially important things that youth had to offer.
Pride was present when she looked down at her cheer uniform, all the girls chose to wear theirs every Friday.
A much taller boy with spiky black hair came walking leisurely out of one of the classrooms and looked down at her with fond eyes.
She never claimed to be apart of a cliché but the thought was nice. They kissed as a disgruntled AP walk by.
"You ready for tonight?"
She nodded. "Football game? Yes. Your place tonight? If you win", she said slyly.
He smirked at her.
Another taller boy came from the same room.
"When will I ever be able to turn the corner and not see you two drooling over each other?"
They both gave him the finger.
Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. "Are we still on for this Saturday?"
"Yep"
"Yeah, but not too late this time", Naruto said dejectedly.
"Don't tell me, 'Practice now, be a fucking star later'", Sakura imitated Minato's deep voice.
"Yep, that's him"
"No offense, but your dad's a prick"
"Go easy on him; he just wants me to make something of myself"
"By depriving you of a social life"
"Don't get tit twisted, I still hold the MGF record at this school", Naruto defended with a smirk.
Sakura looked at him with a puzzled expression. "MGF?"
"Most girls fucked", the two boys said in unison.
"You guys are sick, you know that"
"Jealous?"
"Get real; sooner shall I seduce Principle Langley than be jealous of two big man-sluts"
Sasuke smirked. "You said it, not me"
A group of girls walked past the three of them. A few of them winked over at Naruto who only gazed back with want in his blue eyes.
Sakura rolled her eyes and headed to the cheer room. "I'll catch you two later"
Sakura finished blow-drying her hair and slipped into her business suit that she ironed the night before.
Once completely dressed she erupted from the guest bathroom and began to pack her things for a flight that she needed to be on time for in the next few hours.
The sun was a bit more visible as she poked her head inside Naruto's bedroom to tell him that she was leaving.
She smiled to herself at the sight before her.
Naruto was sprawled across the bed and Gaara was curled next to him with his smaller hands placed delicately across Naruto's chest. She decided not to wake them until Naruto opened his eyes to see him about to leave.
"Leaving?" He asked yawning in bed.
"Yeah, I have a plane to catch", she said giggling.
"What's so funny?"
"You two are just too cute!"
"Get out of here crazy lady", he said rolling over and wrapping his arms around Gaara's sleeping form. "Call me when you land".
Sakura walked out, still laughing to herself.
One down, one to go. She thought as she walked out of the door and used Naruto's spare key to lock it behind her.
After riding the elevator and walking out to the parking garage where Martin was located, she could've have sworn that she saw a woman with long brilliant brown hair that bounced gently as she walked, looking at her from afar.
Was that...? She looked back in the same direction and the woman was gone.
This the last time I go without my morning coffee.
As Martin drove off into the busy morning street, she noticed that the feeling that something was wrong had only intensified; she only wished she had enough time to stay a while until it went away.
The two lovers stayed in bed for about one more hour and Gaara parted his sleepy eyelids to see that Naruto was in the bathroom. Steam gently floated from under the door and dissipated before long.
He had another pair of sniny black Armani shoes laid out and Gaara remembered that he said that he had a charity event for underprivileged high school sports programs to attend later that morning.
Gaara sighed as his mind flooded with the previous nights events. He felt so safe as the morning reminder coupled with the smell of the older man's intoxicating cologne coming from behind the door.
Gaara pulled the sheet off of himself, revealing his still naked body. He walked over to his bag in the corner and slipped in a tight pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt and a checkered scarf that he draped around his neck.
Walking into the kitchen, there was a modest knock on the door before Gaara could reach the kitchen for something to eat before he had to leave and pay a few bills.
"Can you get that?" Naruto shouted from inside the bathroom.
"Yeah", Gaara said as he unlocked the many locks on the door. The large barrier revealed a woman about his height in heels and a pencil skirt. She had shining brown hair and captivating eyes.
"Hi", the younger man said with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, as he could have sworn he'd seen her before
"Hello, I'm Charlotte", she said shaking his hand genuinely. "A friend of Naruto's. Is he in?"
"Yes, he's getting dressed", Gaara's sense of awareness heightened. "Is he expecting you?"
"Actually, yes he is", she said inching closer to the entrance of the doorway. "If you don't mind"
"Sure, come in", he said stepping aside and letting her into the abode. He stared at the woman strangely as she inhaled and exhaled the scent of the place as if she'd returned home after a million years.
"So you said you're a friend of Naruto's?" Gaara inquired.
"Well...", she paused as tears began to well up in her eyes. "At least that's what we used to be".
Gaara scurried over to the kitchen counter and retrieved a tissue. She grabbed it from him and thanked him.
"I know it isn't any of my business, but what happened exactly?"
"Oh no, I don't mind telling you. How do you know him?" She sniffled into the white cloth.
"Well I guess you can call me a... friend too"
"Well, we used to date and...", she paused to wipe her tears. "It started about 3 or 4 years ago..."
Gaara felt his stomach sink.
After a few more words were exchanged, student was too through with being a secret hidden from plain sight.
Gaara's teeth were clenched in a sour mixture of hurt, anger, disbelief and a haunting feeling of being lost. He excused himself from the woman and went into the bedroom to see Naruto just coming out of the bathroom.
"Who was that?" Naruto inquired with alarm in his voice as he saw Gaara angrily shoving a few stray items into his bag on the floor.
"Gaara", he called again and the red-head only stared into the taller man's blue eyes, tears coated the black outlining of his sea-foam-green eyes. Naruto had never seen such an expression pointed at him before.
"Gaara, who were you just talking to out there?" He tried to reach and touch him but Gaara only fiercely slapped his hand away.
He glared ever harder at the older man. "Your wife has something she wants to tell you", he said with his voice completely void of emotion and simply walked out of the room with his bag over his shoulder.
Naruto went after him with a sour feeling in his stomach. He wished he could take back so many things from the past when he saw that same woman with luscious brown hair waiting for him with tears in her eyes.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gaara storm out of the front door. He tried to run after him but Charlotte yanked him back.
"What the hell did you tell him?" He barked back at her. Veins were present on his temples.
Charlotte swallowed. "I didn't want you to find out like this but..."
"WHAT?"
"We have a child"
About 45 minutes later, Gaara's unit
The red head burst through the ragged door and began grabbing miscellaneous items out of his dresser in a flurry of blind rage and tears.
The city life was becoming too much for him and he had to leave, leave and go back to something kind and something he was used to.
He grabbed Fred and placed him a kennel along with a few suitcases in hand coupled with a wad of money from underneath his mattress.
He fled out the door and went back to the bus before it left to another stop. People looked at him strangely on the bus when he arrived with so much stuff.
The large vehicle departed to the airport and Gaara' mind still couldn't comprehend; all he could do was flee. Flee to somewhere where he could sort things out and truly be there.
Love is so blind it feels right when it's wrong...