Naruto grumbled as he searched for the red head. The blonde ran through the village searching any quiet spot he knew, which wasn't many seeing as he was not a quiet person.
"Yo! Naruto, just the person I was looking for," called a familiar voice.
"Kakashi-sensei, what do you want? I thought we has off today. Oh hi Iruka-sensei," he greeted receiving a nod from the teacher. The two older ninja were eating lunch, 'probably talking about another mission,' the blonde cluelessly thought.
"Naruto, I have some news for you. Gaara, you remember him and his siblings right? Well, they will be joining us on missions and such for about a year or so." Kakashi and Iruka braced themselves for a terribly angry Naruto.
"Great! Where's Gaara?" he asked quickly without hesitation, looking from one stunned sensei to the next.
"Uh, sorry Naruto, we haven't seen him," Iruka answered slowly. Kakashi nodded, agreeing with the academy teacher.
"You're no help," Naruto grumbled once again taking off.
The silver haired Jounin stared after him before speaking. "Seems like our little Naruto has found himself a love interest," he cooed as he put his arm over Iruka's shoulders.
Iruka smiled. "It's about time. I was starting to wonder when he would get over the whole 'Im straight thing' and stop chasing poor Sakura-chan," he giggled.
Kakashi smiled from under his mask before releasing Iruka from his grasp. "I'm off to find Erro-sennin," he chirped.
With his hands on his hips, Iruka raised an eyebrow. "I thought only Naruto got away with saying that."
"Hai, that's true, but what the Sage doesn't know, can't hurt me."
Iruka remained silent giving Kakashi a warning glare before asking, " And just what do you need to see him for anyway?"
Kakashi smiled again winking at the brunette. "Well, I was thinking of getting some of the yaoi editions of Itcha Itcha Paradise from him."
"I got you those for your birthday last year. Don't tell me there's more?" Iruka groaned think of the night after Kakashi read all that smut.
The Jounin shock his head. "Don't worry they're not for me. I just thought they would aid Naruto," and with that and a puff of smoke he was gone.
Iruka was left there to think fearful things.'What are the consequences for letting him but that smut for Naruto?' Iruka shuddered at the possibilities.
Somewhere In Main Konoha
Kankurou, after planning and executing his escape from his sister, was finally free on the streets of Konoha. Well, as free as he could get while he had to hide anytime a strong wind blew up. With Temari still looking to continue their 'talk', he wasn't as free as he would have liked.
The middle Sabaku child figured dodging her would be better if he had many witnesses, so he stuck to the main streets of Konoha. Which suited this player just fine.
He walked, well more like strutted, through the streets, checking out all the girls. A particular pack of them drew his attention.
"Hey ladies," he greeted coolly walking towards them.
The girls turned and one blonde, who he recognized as Ino Yama-something-or-other from the exams, squealed, "There he is!"
Kankurou smirked at the squeal but that smirk faded as he realized she pointed past him not at him. The Puppet Master whipped around to meet his competition, to face none other that Sasuke Uchiha.
As the girls fawned over the stoic boy, Kankurou marched up to him and stared Sasuke squarely in the eye. Such a brave yet completely foolish act received terrified and angry squeals from the pack who surround both boys. Let it be known, that if not for Sasuke's presence many of said girls would be followers of Kankurou.
Sasuke was as calm as ever, it was as if the older boy had absolutely zero effect on the Uchiha. "What do you want?"
Kankurou glared devilishly. "I'd like to have a 'talk' with you, Uchiha," he smirked as he mentioned the 'talk'. Let it also be known, that the Sabaku siblings all view talks to be violent outbursts rather than civilized conversation.
"Then talk already."
"I believe we should relocate our 'talk'. We wouldn't want to scare these lovely ladies now would we?" he responded giving warm glances to each pack member.
Sasuke gave him a hard glare as if to say, 'Please scare them away!' But no such words came from the raven haired boy. He merely walked towards the forest with his hands shoved in his pockets.
The Sand nin glared at him before giving some parting words to the girls. "I'll be seeing you all later," he whispered cutely before following Sasuke.
As he left he caught one particular comment from Ino. "Okay girls, all for forming a Kankurou Fanclub say, hai!" Her words were immediately answered with a group, "Hai!" Kankurou was pleased.
After a little walk into the woods, the boys stopped to continue their glaring match. "Well?" Sasuke prompted.
"I'm warning you, lay off the girls here Uchiha. I need distractions to keep Temari of my tail, and a stingy teme like you isn't going to stop me," he growled taking a step forward, one hand hovering over Crow on his back.
The Uchiha matched his footwork as the two began to circle each other. "I'll warn you then. If either you or your siblings harm my teammates or me, I will kill you," he snarled, the sharingan activating.
"Like we'd have anything to do with your lot. But, I can't say anything for Gaara. No one tells him what to do."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that then we were coming here, whenever Gaara spoke, not often mind you, he spoke of that blonde baka," Kankurou answered him, enjoying the look on the usually stoic boy's face.
Sasuke froze, a look of horror, shock, and above all anger on his face.
Naruto. His Naruto. That abomination was probably right now searching for his dobe. He wouldn't allow it, no he would stop it at all costs.
Kankurou fell to the ground with a thud as Sasuke lunged at him. "Where's Gaara?" I'll kill him! I swear to the gods he will fucking die for just touching my dobe!"
"If you try to kill him, you're going to have to kill me first!" growled the black clad boy as he struggled to pin down Sasuke. Damn he sucked at hand to hand combat.
Once he was sure the Uchiha was pinned he smirked, "But since that Uzamaki seems so precious to you, I''l do you the kindness and allow him to join you in Hell, 'cause that's where I'll be sure to send you."
The raven haired boy kicked brutally at his captor and leapt to his feet. A war raged in his mind- beat Kankurou to a bloody pulp, or go find and protect his blonde dobe.
But when Kankurou began to leap through the trees in search of someone, Sasuke's choice was all to easy.
Find and protect Naruto. Kill all who think otherwise. Hai, that would work well. With that he too sprung into the trees in search of his dobe.
In The Quieter Streets Of Konoha
In the quite neighborhood of Konoha, a certain pink haired ninja sat reading a book about chakra control. She had left the total control of the Sasuke Fanclub in Ino's possession for the day. It was very quite she realized, with out Ino-pig around.
A heavy breeze fluttered the pages of her book, her eyes darted from the page to the street. i 'I know this wind,' /i she thought as she put down her book. She stood up and the breeze got heavier and slightly more violent as things started to flip and flop dangerously in a vortex.
"Temari?" she questioned excitedly as she put a hand over her eyes to see better.
"Sakura?" came the response as the wind ended abruptly. Temari came around the bend to see her friend.
The two gave those squeals that girls tend to do when they see old friends. The ran and gave each other a brief hug before pulling apart to look at each other and give compliments.
You see, unlike their teammates, the girls kept in touch after the alliance was settled. The kept each other updated an anything and everything happening in the villages. So Sakura knew before Kakashi had even told her that the others were coming to stay in Konoha.
"I can't believe you're already here! Hinata and Neji only left yesterday and its not such an easy trip here."
"Yes well my brother was a royal pain and made us leave earlier, he even made me give them rides on my fan! But you know there's no way I would argue with Gaara," Temari told her as they headed towards the main streets in search of place to have lunch and talk.
"Well either way Im glad you're finally here! And because of certain circumstances's you'll be joining my team for training and missions! This is great!" Sakura squealed.
Temari smiled. "Really? That is great! But you know this means we'll both be competing for that Uchiha," she smirked.
Sakura gave a friendly growl. "No way you'll get him first! I've been working on him for years!" 'Friend or not this bitch is going down! Cha!' Inner Sakura exclaimed punching at the air.
"We'll see," Temari smirked, a glint of evil intentions in her eye. "This year is going to be fun," she commented as they ordered a quick drink and onigiri to take while they walked.
Sakura nodded as Inner Sakura sat forming evil plans in her mind. "Yes, very fun."
Training Grounds
In yet another part of Konoha, Gaara was regaining his focus, retreating from the dark portion of his mind that contained the Shukaku. One thing was on his mind. Find Naruto Uzamaki. Well, two things if killing the Shukaku counted, but that was always a though in his mind.
He slowly rose to his feet, about ready to begin his search, when he heard an achingly familiar voice call to him.
"Gaara! I've been looking for you!"
Gaara turned around as expressionless as ever as he was approached by the blonde shinobi. Inner Gaara was leaping for joy, or as leaping for joy as Gaara ever got.
Naruto slowed down and stopped a few paces away, that fox grin on his face and an arm behind his head. "I would have tackled you, but I kinda didn't think your sand would have liked that much," he laughed calmly.
Gaara watched him in wonder. How was it he felt so calm around him? He had never felt calm around anyone, everyone wanted him gone or dead, except him. Gaara glanced from his gourd to Naruto before slowly taking off the sand creation and placing it by his feet as if to say it was say.
Naruto smiled, a little shocked at the gesture but loving it all the same. The blonde rushed forward to embrace the red head in a friendly hug.
Gaara nearly staggered backwards. His heart was beating rapidly in a way that was new to him. Yet he enjoyed it.
'Is this what it is like to love someone?' he thought as the blonde gradually pulled away.
