Starry Night - on the contrary. If I get a review where each paragraph would be analyzed, I could die happily. Loool. Don't worry, I'm not demanding such a thing, just know that I LOVE long reviews, okay? Or well, if shorter then detailed ones. After all, it's good to know not only that somehow you're doing Something all right but to actually know Which place was okay, so well. By the way, I'm so sorry you have to read about your most hated pairing/character. I remember I didn't like Sakura at first myself but over the years I got to like her. Actually, now coming back to watch earlier episodes I don't dislike her anymore either. Must be a change of my mind lol Well, this chapter is a mix of...everything, I hope I didn't go overboard...
So then now, let's get on with the story, cheers~
{Squeezes the new readers}
~Reviews are Food~
#7
It was an early summer in Suna.
The Kazekage's home was buzzing with life.
The young Kankurou was playing with one of his puppet toys. He always seemed to carry them around, never separating from them. At one point he even tried to construct one himself, but, obviously he failed. Still, even after that, his interest wasn't dimmed.
Gaara heard of shinobi who could manipulate puppets. The one being Chiyo-obaasan. He wondered if his brother one day would pick on the art.
His other sibling, Temari, was the oldest among the two. Having already started the academy she was focusing on wind techniques. Their father was proud of her.
The young Gaara always looked at his older siblings with curiosity and a sense of adoration, although he wasn't one for big words. At least he knew he was loved and he loved them back.
"Father…" he called out to the older man, casually sitting on the couch.
"What is it, Gaara?" the expectant eyes bore in him, waiting.
"Could you show me a new jutsu, later today?" he asked.
A warm smile spread his father's features. "Of course." His hand reached out to ruffle at the auburn locks, making the redhead smile with a slight embarrassment.
"If you don't watch out, dear, Gaara will soon surpass you and take the title of Kazekage from you," his mother, who was sitting by the father's side, said to her husband.
"Heh," Kazekage gave out a short laugh. "Then I'm looking forward to that."
Gaara smiled at his parents. He inherited the ability to manipulate sand from his mother, but was yet to master it. His father was the master of gold dust manipulation, so he usually helped him in training. He was glad to have a parent who could look out for his growth.
Suddenly another face came into the room. "Gaara-sama. Your friend is here," a smiling Yashamaru said.
True enough, in a matter of seconds, an orange ball of energy rushed inside their living room.
"Heya! What game do we play today?" the blonde asked in excitement, a huge grin covering his face.
The teal orbs brightened up of their own accord. "Ah. Naruto." He greeted his friend and turned around pleadingly to his father, the Yondaime Kazekage.
The older redhead could only sigh with an understanding smile at him. "Don't be too late, Gaara."
"Yeh." And with those words he rushed to his friend's side, being pulled away by the tanned hand gripping his own.
The years the two spent together were the most precious moments in the redhead's life. He couldn't be happier to have gained such a good friend from the early age.
At the age of fifteen, the two were still going as strong as ever.
The blonde invited Gaara to play some video games into his room. Truthfully, he would usually loose, Naruto seemed to be unbeatable in his art, but that still didn't stop Gaara from coming over time and time again.
After all, he liked their time together.
"Aah, I win again. Yosha!" Naruto raised his fist in the air, a sense of victory overwhelming him.
The redhead only chuckled slightly at him. "Congratulations. As per usual."
"Tee-hee," the blonde grinned at him and then just plopped on the floor by Gaara's side.
Gaara didn't mind the silence, he usually didn't feel awkward about it, but with Naruto it was close to impossible for him to stay still for a long period of times so he knew that it was only a matter of seconds before the blonde would burst with some other crazy idea of his.
Though, this one took the redhead off guard.
"Hey, Gaara…" Naruto began. His voice sounding more deeper than usual, and when Gaara glanced at him, he could see the seriousness in his eyes. Gaara narrowed his eyes slightly. It was a rare feat for Naruto to broach a serious topic, though, when he did, they would spend hours discussing it.
He was starting to feel intrigued, but only stayed quiet, letting Naruto speak.
The blonde opened his mouth, and the words left his mouth a tad bit reluctantly, like he was unsure. "Hey… have you ever… kissed anyone?"
"Eh?" Gaara's eyes widened. Of all the crazy things his friend could have asked him, he didn't expect this one.
"Well, have you?" This time Naruto turned to him, locking their eyes together.
He was dead serious.
"…no," he answered. There was not much to tell, really.
Suddenly something seemed to click in the blonde. A rush of what Gaara could only call as mischievous excitement oozing out of him.
"Then! Then! Do you want to try it out with me?" the blonde asked with a huge grin on his face and sparkling eyes.
The teal orbs widened even more. "W-what?"
"Oh, come on!" Naruto placed his hand casually on Gaara's shoulder, patting it, the grin still present on his face. "We should try it out and check what everyone is making such a fuss about. " Then his voice changed to half a whisper. His one hand covering his lips, like he was telling a big secret. "Aren't you curious too?"
Gaara squirmed a bit under his friend's gaze. Curious? Well, he couldn't lie that he wasn't. Still… he wasn't sure what that got to do with this idea of Naruto's.
"That might be so, but…" he reluctantly agreed.
"Yosh!" Naruto seemed to hear no more as he clasped his hands together. "Let's get on with it then!" he announced and then grabbed his both slender shoulders with his hands, shocking the redhead. "Are you ready?"
Something simply paralyzed Gaara then. The beaming smile that could lit up the sun itself, the sky blue eyes and encouraging squeezes on his both shoulders…
He was way too weak against Naruto's persuasion.
So he could only nod.
A warm smile spread across Naruto's features and then he began to lean forward, closing the distance between the two.
The wait was nerve-wracking but at the same time exciting. In a matter of seconds, he could feel Naruto's breath on his face. It felt strange. But somehow at the same time it wasn't an unpleasant sensation either. He slowly drew closer in towards the redhead, until the first contact between their lips was made.
It was only a fleeting sensation of lips brushing against each other. Nothing more, nothing less. It was too quick to analyze how he felt about it when the blond was already pulling away.
Blue irises bore into him, trying to gauge his friend's reaction the same way Gaara was trying to gauge his. For a while neither said anything, just watching each other, and then a sheepish look crossed the blond's features.
"Well… I guess it wasn't that big a deal after all," he said while scratching the back of his head with his hand. Gaara could only observe the blonde's slightly embarrassed look.
He really didn't have much of a motive to say what he did next, but somehow he still did. "Maybe…," he started, gaining Naruto's attention back towards him. "Maybe it's because the contact was too short..."
Teal orbs glanced up to the widened blues, until something flickered into them. "Then…should we should try again?"
At that point something changed in the air between them. Somehow his friend's boyish face suddenly looked more mature and serious than he had ever seen. The face of a man.
Gaara was never one to interact much with people. Although others respected him and many looked up to him, the closest he let someone else to come near him would be Naruto. He wondered why. Somehow from their early childhood they just clicked. And never separated from then on.
So it was only natural that when his most important person was looking at him like that, he could could only nod in agreement. Gaara would have probably agreed to anything the blond had asked of him then. The faint blush on the tanned skin was the last thing he saw before his half-lidded eyes closed completely at the feel of stronger pressure this time against his lips.
From then on, they didn't speak much about the labels and such of what was that the two had between them, but they got only closer, never leaving each other's side.
Until their last breath…
The pair of teals shot open.
His breathing was ragged and he could feel a trace of sweat on his forehead.
He slowly pushed the covers away and sat up in his made-up bed in the Kage's chambers. That's right. He was not in Suna, but Konoha. He came here weeks ago in order to ask Hokage to hold his engagement ceremony.
He sighed slowly, his one hand coming up to hold his head.
That dream…
While being trapped inside Infinite Tsukiyomi he dreamed of a happier childhood where he played with Naruto as his friend. The time was boundless inside the dream so his experience lasted of years.
Back then he must have already subconsciously realized his deeper feelings for the blonde, so his own desires created a reality where the two bonded together.
Naruto.
He now knew that the feeling of being kissed by Uzumaki Naruto in the dream and the real experience were way too different.
The reality was just that much more real. The desire, the warmth, the pain were that much greater than a happy dream he blissfully unaware once had.
Naruto's kisses were rough, demanding and angry. Anger that he could still not understand.
Glancing around the room he saw the first rays of sunshine.
Early morning, huh?
Well, he guessed, he should take a shower and get dressed for the day.
After the refreshing shower he felt a bit better. His thoughts seemed to settle down a bit too. Still, his own desires were starting to spin out of control. With everything that has been going on with Naruto, he was slowly loosing the sense of reality.
He didn't come to Konoha to play around with Naruto after all.
He closed his eyes, not wanting to dwell on it much longer. Separating the white towel from his slightly damp body, he processed to get dressed. He got his underwear and pants on and then reached out into his wardrobe for a top, when something crashed outside his doors, giving him only a moment of realization to turn his head back to see what is going on.
The doors slipped open with a bang, revealing a determinated blonde, his yellow locks shinning at the first rays of sunshine.
"Gaara! Let's go on a date!" he announced.
The redhead could only blink with widened eyes.
Was this the continuation of his dream?
No. He was pretty sure he was awake already. Not a genjutsu. Then…
He then looked up to see Naruto frozen in place. He seemed to only stare at him with his lips slightly parted. Opening up and closing again, as if at loss of words. He then gulped audibly.
"Err…. Sorry. You were changing. Um… I'll just come back later… bye!"
And with that he was gone, doors slamming shut.
Gaara blinked at his retreat and then glanced down. That's right. He was in the middle of putting on a top. Now his torso was still completely bare.
His cheeks burned a little at the thought of being left on display for Uzumaki Naruto yet again.
Frankly speaking he never even thought of being cautious about something like having his privacy while in the early morning of his own room. Nobody would ever dare to enter without knocking. Not if they wanted to keep their heads… well, or at least their jobs.
Nobody but Uzumaki Naruto, it seems.
Gaara must admit he underestimated the potential of Naruto.
He was one dangerous being.
With a sigh, the redhead processed to pull his top over his head when once again the doors opened up, this time catching him with his arms above his head, trapped in the fabric.
"Oh, right! You haven't eaten yet, right? Let's go eat together!" the blonde idiot grinned and then opened his eyes, momentary freezing again. "You still changing? Geez, should I help you out?" he laughed a bit, freezing Gaara in place and with a wave of his hand left the room.
Uzumaki Naruto.
Gaara was sure that understanding the blonde fully was the skill he had not yet possessed.
After the whole awkward ordeal in the early morning, the two met up by the gates of his current residence and then walked off to the destination.
"So, what is it that we're having for breakfast?" Gaara asked in his deep voice.
"Well, Ichiraku's ramen, of course!" the blonde exclaimed happily while already passing a pair of chopsticks to his friend and then grabbing a pair to himself, splitting them in two. "Tee-hee."
That's right. Somehow the two ended up at Naruto's regular place. Since Naruto was insisting on treating his friend, Gaara supposed he done this out of the lack of metal in his wallet. Well, he could work with that. He wasn't too picky where to get his breakfast.
"Aah, delicious!" the blonde exclaimed after the first slurp. "You're the best, uncle!" He praised the owner with a thumb up.
The redhead caught himself staring at the blonde's profile. Naruto was acting like before. Like how they used to be before that happened. His eyes narrowed slightly.
What was he doing?
"Naruto," he called out to the blond who turned around with a mouthful of spaghetti still in his mouth.
"Huh?" His eyes sparkled with innocence.
Gaara felt something swirl inside himself. Everything seemed fine right now. The two could finally come back to eat together without that constant tension between them. Did he want to disturb this blessed calm just because he was yet again uncertain of Naruto's reasons?
No. Some things were better off left unsaid. He should probably realize this already that understanding Naruto's reasoning was not that simple. And if the blonde wanted, he would share with him.
His shoulders slumped slightly. But at the same time he felt lighter. Somehow, simply choosing to accept what Naruto gave him was more freeing than anything.
He would accept what he's given.
"No. It's nothing," he said simply, turning around towards his own portion of food.
"Hey, Gaara…"
Gaara stopped short.
Those words again?
This whole morning he felt like he was being tested. Both mentally and physically if the constant increase of his heartbeat was anything to go by. He chose to remain calm anyway. It was not like Naruto would ask him if he was ever kissed anyway. After all he already had his first kiss with…
Naruto.
His cheeks started to burn and he couldn't be more glad about having his sand armor on.
Feigning total calmness he glanced carefully at Naruto, only nearly having a heart attack when Naruto's face proved to be just a few inches away from his own. He felt his eyes widen.
Sky blue orbs were watching him intentely, something unwavering about them. He usually had this look when he was giving his all in the battle. Ready to protect his friends at any cost. Now he was giving the look towards Gaara.
The redhead breathed out a shivering breath. "What?"
"Hey… have you…." He started again, making Gaara only hear his own loud heartbeat, his teal eyes focusing way too much on the moving mouth of the blond.
Something was starting to buzz inside his ears.
The background sound fading away.
He felt the blonde's breath against his skin, the sensation similar to wind as he still had his sand armor on.
Naruto…
He glanced up at the blue orbs, who smiled playfully at him. "Have you finished yet? Shall we go?" he asked and with those words all the sounds returned to the redhead.
He blinked back from the trance. Naruto was grinning at him, his own 4 bowls of ramen empty by his side.
"AH! You didn't finish it yet! No, rather… have even tried it yet? It doesn't look like you took a bite at all! Hey hey, do you dislike ramen?"
Gaara sat still in his seat for a moment.
What… since when was he swayed that easily?
He was aware that his motivation in life might have revolved mostly around Naruto but his heart never was that vulnerable to influence.
He held Naruto deeply into his heart. It didn't interfere with his work. It didn't interfere with his daily life. But now it was like he could no longer control it.
No control over his own heart.
His non existent brows furrowed in thought. Could he really do it? Could he offer his heart to Naruto that easily and handle the rejection later on?
Once, he was sure he could do it, that's why he allowed himself to hold onto the feeling of love he had for the blond, but now that seemed to not be the case anymore…
Could he handle the heartbreak of having his heart rejected?
A sudden fear filled his insides.
"Oi! Gaara! I said, Gaara, are you listening to me?!" Naruto was trying to get his attention in the background. When nothing worked, he placed his hand against the slender shoulder, giving it a shake. That seemed to do the trick.
"Are you all right?" the blonde asked, his features masked in slight worry.
The redhead nodded slightly. "Yeh."
"You sure? Because you seem a bit off… I would say you look pale, but… I can't tell with your sand armor on after all," Naruto said sheepishly.
Gaara willed himself to relax. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Shall we go?" he offered while standing up.
"Eh? But you didn't even finish eating," Naruto protested, while standing up himself.
"I'm thankful for the food, I apologize that I couldn't finish it," he formally regarder the owner.
"No worries. You can just come back later. Get some rest now. You too, Naruto."
"Eh, ah, yeh! We'll be there!" Naruto saluted to the owner and rushed after the redhead.
The two walked for a long while in silence.
Gaara was too overwhelmed by his own feelings and Naruto would just keep glancing at the redhead with his arms folded behind his head, making a face like he wanted to say something.
They walked a few meters like that when suddenly the blonde stopped, exclaiming. "Aah! I know! Yup, yup," he nodded to himself. Gaara watched him questioningly until Naruto turned around with a beaming smile.
"Hey, you're free now, right? Let's go somewhere."
"Where do you want to go, Naruto?"
"Hehe, somewhere precious," he said brightly and then he barely let Gaara to register his words before he took his pale hand in his own tanned one, tugging the redhead after him. "Let's go."
"W-wait, Naruto…" he tried to protest but the words dead out in his mouth.
Watching Naruto's back and feeling his hand in his own he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
His hand…
Slowly, so that it would be unnoticeable, he willed his sand from his left hand to leave his skin, leaving it bare.
A shudder went down his body at the feel of skin against skin. He suppressed it and squeezed the hand that was holding his.
He wondered if Naruto noticed, because a knowing chuckle escaped the blonde's mouth.
Gaara lowered his eyes.
What was he doing?
It took them a few more minutes in comfortable, even if not calm, silence when Naruto stopped. "We're here," he announced. Gaara looked around but he could only see the usual streets of Konoha.
He wondered if this place was somehow important to the blond.
But then the tanned arm slowly rose up in the sky, pointing. "Over there!"
Gaara's eyes widened slightly, unsure. "Hokage's Tower?"
"Yup! Come on," he urged the redhead and just then let go of his hand.
It felt like something was a miss at once.
Pushing the thoughts away, Gaara proceeded to follow the blond. The two leapt in the air, going from rooftop to rooftop, pushing chakra to their feet to go on the walls until they finally reached the rooftop of the Hokage Tower.
They landed with a soft thud, cushioning their landing with their chakra.
Gaara was the first to straighten up and look around. "What're we doing here?"
"Heh," the blonde let out a proud laugh. "This is the place that soon I'm going to be part of. And where you could visit. There!" he pointed out onto a faraway mountain where the heads of all Hokages were engraved into stone. "Nanadaime Hokage's face. Uzumaki Naruto. Just wait for it, dattebayo!" he announced happily and then settled his hands against his hips.
Gaara smiled at him from the sidelines. "Yeh."
"Yosh! Since my occupation is clear, lets sit down," Naruto said casually and plopped down on the floor. Gaara only stared at him.
"I don't think the current Hokage would be too pleased by this."
"It's fine it's fine. I informed Kakashi-sensei that I might have to occupy one or two places and that he shouldn't worry about it when I do." Naruto swatted his hand offhandedly and proceeded to lay down, hands behind his back.
"Informed the Hokage, huh…" Gaara whispered in a low voice and then chuckled softly. "I guess that's about right."
He came to sit somewhere near Naruto, his hands resting behind his back and his legs stretched out.
The next moment something heavy plopped against his legs. Startled, Gaara looked down to see a grinning face of the blond, who was now casually laying on his friend's lap with his eyes closed.
"N-naru…to?"
"Just let me rest for a bit like that," he said in a lower voice. "But I'll move if you hate it."
Gaara knew when he saw a flicker of uncertainly in the blond. Even with his eyes closed, his whole body tensing gave it away. "No. You can stay," he said evenly and then added. "I don't mind."
He supposed that was the right response, because soon he gained a beaming smile from the blond on his lap. "Thanks."
They stayed like that in silence for a while.
Gaara stared at the steady rise and fall of the orange suit. His breathing seemed to be even too. Was he asleep?
"Naruto?"
When he gained no response he guessed he was right. He wondered if he should wake him up. But as always in these situations, the more selfish part of human nature won out.
Just a little bit longer.
Before, Gaara could have never imagined himself being so close to another human being. He had no desire for human contact besides killing, nor connecting with them on a mental level. Since he met Naruto he started to desire all those things. Little by little he strived to be someone needed. And even after he reached all that, even after he gained friends, loving siblings, his people, Naruto still continued to change him.
Now he was starting to experience even more foreign feelings than he had ever before.
His own thoughts seemed to shift to a more selfish side, desiring things he had no claim of.
Claim…
It was not a word he could associate with Naruto. He was the hope of the whole world. His path of light was followed by more souls than he could ever hope to count. So for him to desire to have him…
What did that mean anyway?
To have someone solely for his own. What did that mean exactly?
Instinctively his fingers settled down against the blonde locks.
Soft.
He started to rummage his digits around the yellow mess that was Naruto's hair.
"Mm…it feels nice."
A sudden sound from the blond, made him still. Apparently Naruto wasn't as asleep as he thought. He proceeded to withdraw his fingers when a hand shot out, encircling his wrist and pulling it back towards the ruffled hair. "Don't. I like the feel of your hands," a soft whisper could be heard in the silence of the air.
So he let them stay.
Though, doing something like that when the other person is unaware was a completely different thing than doing it when the one was awake. Gaara willed himself to not think too much into it, closing his eyes.
"Gaara…" the sound of his name being called, made the redhead focus on his lap. Naruto was now watching him squarely into his eyes. He stilled the movements of his fingers.
"You know, I…" Naruto started in a serious voice.
The sudden voice from below felt like a blow to them, suddenly bursting their bubble.
"Gaara! There you are."
Both of their heads turned towards the voice, Naruto sitting up and Gaara standing up.
"Kankurou? What are you doing here?"
"That's what I would like to ask you," his brother shot out. "It's already past lunch, Iwa's noblemen have already arrived."
Gaara's eyes widened. "That time already?"
"Huh? What's this about Iwa's noblemen arriving?" Naruto suddenly appeared by Kazekage's side, looking confused.
"Eh? You were here too?" Kankurou asked, baffled.
"We had breakfast together," Gaara answered him instead.
"But it's already past lunch…" Kankurou commented to which Gaara didn't know what to say.
"Sorry. It's because I fell asleep," Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Kankurou blinked in surprise. "Fell asleep?"
"Nevermind," Gaara cut him off. "Naruto. Thank you for keeping me company. I'm going now."
"Ah. Yeh. No problem."
The Kazekage then briskly leapt from the rooftop until he reached the ground where Kankurou stood.
"Man, Naruto is rubbing off on you. The great Kazekage is jumping rooftops now instead of using doors," Kankurou said jokingly.
"You already said I'm late. There's no point in wasting more time," Gaara only replied and started walking away.
"I'll see you around! Gaara!" Naruto yelled out with a wave.
He watched them go with a slight longing look until he caught the puppeteer watching him. Being caught off guard he raised his hand to wave at him too, even if tad bit awkwardly but he only seemed to be ignored as something indescribable passed down the older sibling's features.
"Oi, that's rude," the blonde huffed and then sighed. "What was that about?"
One day ago…
Having finally settled down his feelings for a certain redhead, Naruto was on a mission.
He had to court Gaara.
There was no other way around it.
The only problem was that… he had never dated before. So his knowledge of dating was… well… how should he say it… a bit close to non-existent?
He could only sigh miserably. If only he had a manual of some sort…
A manual….
Oh, right! A manual!
He bumped his two fists against each other when a sudden realization that he knew just the place washed over him.
It took him only a few minutes to get to the place.
Another ten to bury his face in the manual of all dating.
"It's customary for the man to pay for all the expenses of the date...," he read out loud. "I see…" he hummed in thought. "For you to have this kind of book… Sai, I knew it was a good idea to look for your advice."
"No problem. But you going on a date, huh?" the pale shinobi asked in slight amazement. "I must say it's a surprise. I always thought you loved Sakura-san, to think you were homosexual…" he trailed off.
Naruto spun around at once. "Hold on right there! Let me make this clear to you. I don't swing that way. You hear me?" He said with a pointed finger at him. "Gaara is a special case. That's all!"
Sai only tilted his head. "Swing? I believe you can swing both ways," he said casually.
Suddenly Naruto found himself looking at Sai in a wholly different light. Eyes full of adoration, he claspped his hands together to look at the white skinned shinobi. "Really? You really think so? Right? It's true, right?"
Sai regarded him strangely. "Well, yes," he agreed calmly, ignoring the shining eyes of his friend. "It would be impossible to move otherwise. Unless you move both backwards and forwards."
"Huh?" Naruto asked, confused. "Backwards and… forwards?" he repeated slowly. "Sai… don't tell me you're actually talking about 'swings'."
"That's right. What else would we be talking about?"
Naruto hung his head.
He knew it. It seemed to be too good to be true.
"Nevermind that now. Let's just go back to research," he said in defeat and plopped down on the chair once more, opening another page of the Manual.
"Share your precious place with them…" he read. "Precious place…. Hmm… I wonder what that is… I guess it's Konoha, but it's not like he's not already here…. Hmm…" He put a finger under his chin. "Then… Ichiraku's Ramen shop! No…. we would be already going there for a meal…. Hmm… well, nevermind, it will come later. Let's see… 'bend the iron while still hot'… what the hell is that?" Naruto exclaimed with a frown. "Ah, it got explanation here… 'use the opportunity wisely. Don't wait if not absolutely necessary' I see! I'll go up to him at the first sunshine then!" Naruto nodded to himself, seemingly proud.
"Use words to express your feelings before going further…" he read another page.
"Ah! I completely failed on this! What should I do!?"
"Well, if you start from the beginning, you might still be able to fix it, I believe," Sai said to him with a reassuring smile.
"I can, right?" Naruto smiled in relief. "Yosh! Tomorrow I'll show my resolve to Gaara. Just you wait, dattebayo!"
And that's generally how Naruto got the crazy idea to follow a manual how to court Gaara.
Coming back to the present...
He didn't see Gaara for a while now. The sun had already set. You could see the stars in the sky.
"At least it's a clear night," Naruto mussed while going through the streets with his hands in his pockets.
Passing by the shopping stalls, he watched how everyone packed their stuff, finishing their business for the day. The streets were starting to scatter.
He wondered if he could still see the redhead today.
If that Kankurou wouldn't have interrupted the two…
He sighed.
Timing.
That was a key word in the Manual. You have to find the perfect timing for this type of thing, but at the same time not wait out too long or you might loose your opportunity forever. Which is a complicated mess in itself but Naruto was determined to find the right answer for that.
He thought he found the perfect opportunity; with him laying down comfortably on Gaara's lap and the redhead watching him right in the eyes…
"Argh! That Kankurou!" he exclaimed, ruffling his hair in frustration.
"What? Complaining to me now?"
Naruto spun around and true enough, the middle Suna sibling was leaning against one of the walls of the building.
"You-!" Naruto's eyes widened.
"Yo," the puppeteer greeted. "So, going to the welcoming party?"
"Huh?"
"Oi, seriously? Don't tell me you haven't heard…"
Naruto looked at him questioningly. "Haven't heard about what?"
Kankurou could only sigh. Honestly, how this brat was the hero of the shinobi world, he could never understand. "Iwa's noblemen have arrived earlier today to discuss the upcoming marriage plans with Gaara and Hoshino Mika. Hokage is throwing a welcoming party for them."
"Oh," Naruto replied somehow lifelessly. "And when is this party?"
"Today."
"Today!?" the blonde exclaimed, eyes wide.
"In fact, it's gonna start soon. I'm just going to check up on Gaara if he's already done changing and we'll be going."
"Gaara…" Naruto trailed off. His face had a thoughtful look. "Hey, can I come there too?" he suddenly asked Kankurou, surprising him.
"Huh? Well, yeh, I suppose."
"Yosh. Thank you!" Naruto exclaimed and ran off before the puppeteer could tell him about the place.
The party was a complete bore.
Earlier today, with the help of his sage mode chakra, Naruto came to get Gaara. With his Kage robes and all. Speaking of which... they seemed to have forgotten to wait for Kankurou... well, nevermind that now.
So here they were. At this hell'a boring welcoming party. Filled with noisy old geezers and not much for fun. Of course, unless you were chugging down cup after cup of sake, which (surprise surprise) Kakashi and Tsunade were both eagerly doing. The current Hokage not failing to entertain the fellow noblemen of Iwa with explicit stories of Icha Icha series.
Way too much details…
Hoshino Mika was present at the beginning, when things were still more or less civil, but after Sakura saw where everything was going, she quickly escorted her back to her chambers.
So that left Naruto and Gaara sitting by each other's side.
Naruto glanced at the redhead's cup.
He knew it.
It was still full. His very first cup!
Aaah, he wondered if it would be easier if Gaara was drunk.
No. No. He shook those thoughts away. He need him sober. Yup.
He sighed. Even if he said that… he was not sure everything would miraculously turn out okay. But still… he was not giving up now! He will do everything he can.
"Hey, Gaara…." He spoke in a whisper, taking the redhead's attention. "Do you want to get out of here?"
Gaara let out a breath of air from his lips. "I wish. But, being present in this welcoming party is my duty as Kazekage," he said solemnly. His eyes stared at the loud crowd on the other side of the long table where they were sitting at. Iwa's noblemen were having their hands wrapped around young women (like where the hell did they come from?), sake was being poured almost directly into their mouths... He wondered if he somehow stepped foot into red light district.
"Geh. That reminds me of Pervy Sage," Naruto said while grimacing at the sight ahead.
Gaara smiled slightly at Naruto. "Certainly. Your master had a reputation in this kind of area."
"That's right," Naruto agreed. "He would leave me to train alone time and time again to go chase after some girls," he huffed. "But…" A fond smile appeared on his features. "I suppose I still miss him."
"The ones we loose we can still carry them inside our hearts," Gaara said in a deep voice, making Naruto glance over. "Wasn't that what you said?"
"Yeh," Naruto agreed, sharing a fond smile with Gaara.
Suddenly someone landed a blow on the table, spilling the drinks all over the place. "Woah!"
"Maa, maa, Tobira-san," Kakashi's voice rang out.
Gaara merely shifted aside while Naruto jumped onto his feet, seeing it as opportunity. "Gaara. Come on, we'll get them new drinks." He reached out for Gaara's forearm and pulled him to his feet. Wordlessly the redhead followed him.
When they were a good distance away, Naruto stopped, sparing a glance at the crowd to see if anyone was looking and put his fingers into a seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." His clone appeared with a poof of smoke.
"Listen," Naruto looked at his clone sternly. "Grab those drinks for those old men over there and pretend to be me, okay? Don't be caught. No matter what."
The clone saluted. "Got it, boss!"
Gaara watched the exchange with a slight frown on his face when he felt eyes upon him. He looked up to see Naruto watching him expectedly. "Well? Aren't you going to create a sand clone?"
"Sand clone? Naruto… my clones cannot speak. If I was asked something, I would be find out at once."
"Well, it's good thing that they won't ask you anything then, right? Sorry, but you're not exactly the most talktive person out there. So even if you don't say anything, you'll be fine. And well, if they asked something my clone could always cover you up, so it's fine. Just do it, dattebayo."
Debating it for a while longer, finally Gaara gave in, creating a clone of sand of himself.
Soon enough the pair watched the leaving backs of their clones.
"Yosh, mission 'escape the boring as hell welcoming party for old geezers' success!" Naruto yelled in a victory whisper. "Let's go. Gaara."
They stopped in the dark alley. It had a dim lighting, but it seemed to be more deserted than others. The passing wind whistled in the silent area.
He wanted for a quiet place to talk but now Naruto felt like he just led them to creepy as hell place. He shivered slightly.
"It's beautiful."
Gaara's voice woke him up and he glanced at the readhead, who had his head tilted back, watching the night's scenery. Uncountable amount of stars were shinning brightly at them. With the lack of lighting in the area they were more visible than ever.
"Yeh," Naruto agreed, but he never once broke his gaze he had towards the redhead. His spiky red hair illuminated in the moonlight, the dark ringed eyes against his fair skin, his pale lips which could turn bright red from being kissed.
Gaara was simply beautiful.
What was he doing having someone so cute right under his nose and not realizing it?
Naruto felt simply stupid. Not that it was any surprise there….
Swallowing tightly, he opened his mouth, his heart starting to beat faster in his ribcage.
"Don't get married to her. "
He saw how Gaara's whole posture stiffened, his eyes not seeing the view ahead anymore. Slowly he straightened, turning his teal orbs towards Naruto, waiting.
Naruto stopped himself from shifting on his foot. This was something he had to have confidence in. He steeled his gaze.
"There's no way you'll ever be happy with her," he said with all asurance he could muster up in that moment.
Gaara's eyes glazed over, something of sadness passing over his features. "How can you know that?" he asked in a soft voice.
"Because..!" Naruto started in a loud voice, taking a step forward, but then stopped, calming himself a bit. He turned his gaze to the side slightly. "Because I get it, you know?" he began in a soft whisper.
"Wanting to have a family… I know that feeling all too well… what loneliness you had to experience… I get it." He closed his eyes as his voice cracked at the end. He exhaled, opening his eyes again. "I get it, but even so… it's just a fake, isn't it?"
Looking up to bore his eyes into the teal orbs, he held their gaze. "You said it yourself, didn't you…Gaara? 'Peace under an illusion is not true peace.'"
Dark ringed eyes widened at his words.
"Isn't that's what you're doing right now? Settling down with someone who you don't trully care for... There's no way you can truly be happy with that!"Naruto ended with his fist clenched, breathing out hard, but even so, his eyes never left Gaara's.
The fraction of something flickering inside the teal orbs, how they narrowed and then straightened out again, Naruto saw it all.
Because he was watching.
"Then what do you propose I do different, Naruto?" Gaara asked him suddenly, taking Naruto off guard. The redhead seemed to be interested in his answer, but he couldn't think of an easier question in his whole life. With a sure grin on his face, he faced the readhead on, bringing him his answer full head on.
"Stay with me! I'll become your family!"
"You-!" The redhead simply froze in shock. He couldn't believe what was the blonde saying. "Do you even know what you're saying?" he asked, because surely, nobody could possibly offer him this. Least of all Uzumaki Naruto.
"Yeh, I know," Naruto assured the redhead. Taking another step further he stopped just a short distance away from him, making the redhead tense. His blue eyes changed into a tender look.
"And I'm not doing this just because I love you. But it's because I genuinely care about you and want to make you happy. Gaara."
The redhead's breathing stopped short for a moment. His teal orbs stared at the blond in complete shock.
"You… love me?"
After all the realities and dreams he imagined, did his own reality bore fruit to his most secret desire?
Was he really loved?
"Ah. I said it. Maan, it shouldn't have come out like that…" Naruto grumbled. "Oh geez. Well, whatever. It's the truth after all." Straightening up, he settled his blue irises against the still widened teal orbs.
He opened his mouth, hoping that the sincerity of his heart could be reached by the redhead.
"Gaara. I love you. "
The beating of the redhead's heart increased tenfold.
Could this actually be real?
"But that night, when you kissed me, you were so angry at me…"
"Ah! Yeeeh, that was not the best moment of mine," Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Honestly, I was so blinded by jealously towards Mika that I nearly failed to notice the most important thing," he paused, letting his hand fall by his side. "My true feelings for you."
"Jealousy?"
"She had you," Naruto said in a deep voice. He remembered all the struggle he had and the pain that came with it. Closing his blue eyes, he sighed. "She was your fiance after all."
"Suddenly there was a place in your life which I couldn't reach anymore. I hated that," he admitted with a sad look. "I wanted you all for myself but back then I couldn't understand what was I feeling so I took it out on you. Sorry. If your sand wouldn't have stopped me back then, I don't know how far I would have gone just to make claim on you…"
Staring right at the struggling blonde, Gaara could only think that he was the same.
He always thought he was only meant to be part of the many people that were important to Naruto but still secretly desired to become someone special to the blond.
That wish was something he was sure that would never be granted. But then…
A lone tear ran down past the pale cheek.
"That's why… Gaara, stay with me. From now on let's stay properly together. "
Slowly a tanned arm rose in the air, stopping between the two of them.
It seemed like a ritual for them. To accept each other with the handshake. To accept what the two were to each other.
Naruto.
Was it all right to love you after all?
His fair hair, whisker marks against his cheeks, his strong arms that could hold his body that tightly… was it all right to desire all that?
His pale lips quivered slightly as he found himself simply mesmerized by the sight of his once true savior Uzumaki Naruto.
The most important person in his life.
He failed to notice when something flickered in the sky, they both did, until it was too late.
Suddenly a loud bang echoed inside the silent valley.
Bang
It was a deafening sound.
At once the blonde twirled around, looking at the direction the sound came from. "What the hell was that?"
Gaara's eyes narrowed in the direction the smoke came from. He saw from his peripheral vision how Naruto jumped on top of the rooftop for a better look. "What's going on…?" the blonde whispered, his eyes widened in shock. "It looks like a bomb has gone off down there."
Judging from the sound it made, Gaara guessed as much.
But something more troubling unsettled the young Kazekage's mind.
He wished he was wrong, but…
Just then something else flickering in the sky, and this time Gaara saw exactly where it was heading. His dark ringed eyes widened as his mouth opened into a shout. "Naruto!"
to be continued... let me know what you thought!
So yeh, the next chapter is gonna be pretty much focused on actions. I thought it necessary because you can truly see the true colors of the person in life and death situation, hence the action was born, lol.
Anyway, this story should have another 3 chapters left, if anything changes, I'll let you know.
