A/N: I honestly didn't intend to neglect this fic for so long. Life has become increasingly busy and this was shuffled under the pile. I do intend to keep this up, though updates will be sporadic at best. Also, I warn you that this hasn't been edited. I was trying to finish it by the 14th! Happy Belated Valentine's Day!


Negotiated Infidelity

Chapter 08


Naruto shielded his eyes as he stepped off the bus. His foot landed harshly on gravel, the stones sharp enough to dig into the thin soles of his walking shoes. He squinted, his eyes watering with the sting of adjusting from the dimly lit bus to the bright outdoors.

"I need a hand," Kakashi yelled and Naruto swiveled his head sideways. Two duffle bags sat on the ground while Kakashi's form was bent, disappearing into the storage compartment on the side of the bus. He slid a green duffle bag forward, tossing it unceremoniously to the ground.

Naruto watched as his bag kicked up a cloud of dust and grimaced. Nothing would break, but his snacks would likely be smashed, or worse- his cup ramen might be crushed. Naruto lumbered forward, swinging his arms in a determined stride to reach his bag. He grabbed the strap and hefted it over his shoulder, checking for the zipper. He felt through the fabric for the cup ramen he had wedged between his towel and his pajamas, his fingers outlining the smooth curve of a styrofoam cup. His shoulders sank and he exhaled a small sigh into the still air.

"A little help?" Kakashi said over his shoulder. Naruto looked down at the bags strewn around him. He grabbed one and pulled it further away, setting it down before grabbing another to set the brown bag right next to the first one. As Kakashi tossed them out, he set the bags out in a neat line. His teammates arrived and grabbed their bags and everything moved in some semblance of order. As soon as the last bag was gone, Kakashi made a double sweep with his eyes and nodded to himself. He pulled the cover down and slammed the trunk shut.

"Alright, huddle up boys," Asuma barked. He held a clip board in his hand, his pen tucked behind his ear like an old man. Kakashi jumped onto the bus for what Naruto assumed was the final sweep. He readjusted the handle of his bag, grimacing as he felt the first beads of sweat sliding down his back. His thin undershirt clung to his skin and he shifted his bag again until he felt comfortable again.

"When I call your name, I will give you a number. This is your room assignment so listen up carefully."

Naruto glanced back at the bus. He watched his coach through the windows, the spiky gray hair swiveling from side to side, likely checking each seat for forgotten items. Asuma's voice barked out names and Naruto half listened. He turned his head, observing the trees off in the distance and noticed a square, gray building at the end of the driveway. There were no signs, no adornments, and only a few large windows in front that indicated the building was in some way modern. Kakashi began speaking in a low polite voice. Unaccustomed to hearing the often brusque coach speak in such tones, Naruto turned back to the bus where his coach was bowing to the bus driver.

"That's right," Kakashi said. "I will call you if anything changes." The bus driver smiled and nodded his head. Kakashi stepped off the bus and bowed again. The bus door shut and the engine revved up.

"Uzumaki," Asuma barked out. Naruto snapped to attention and caught Asuma's dark eyes looking straight at him. "Room one," he said. Naruto nodded. Asuma glanced down at his list again, his finger shifting down the clipboard.

Lee received his room assignment with a whoop of excitement. He looked to Neji with bright, cheerful eyes and help up his palm for a high five. Neji lifted a finely arched brow in his direction and crossed his arms over his chest. Undeterred, Lee forcibly pried Neji's hand apart and slapped his palm against the brooding Hyuuga.

"Nara! Room one," Asuma said gruffly. Naruto looked across the crowd and smiled in his co-captain's direction. Shikamaru responded with a non-committal shrug.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder and Naruto glanced up to see his coach looking straight at him. The hand nudged him a little, guiding him away from the crowd.

"Naruto, I need you to do me a favor." The gravel crunched under his feet, each sharp rock jabbing the bottom of his foot. They paused in front of the soccer equipment. Bags of soccer balls, bright orange cones and various supplies were heaped up in neat piles. "I need to visit the visitor's center over there," he glanced over his shoulder at the plain building Naruto observed shortly before. "The dorms are further back and Asuma will guide you as soon as he's done with room assignments. It should take some time with the group and the equipment, but I will catch up. If you get there first, have them wait for me."

Naruto nodded.

"Also, if Suna beat us here, there's a chance your room will already be unlocked. You and Nara will be rooming with some of their teammates." Naruto's mouth opened wordlessly. "I thought it would be best if you two teams could spend some time together and work on building up some camaraderie."

The duffle bag was sliding down his shoulder again and he shifted it. His lips tugged downward as his feet scuffled along the gravel. The sun was straight over them, beating down on his head. A drop of sweat tickled its way down his temple. He wiped at it hurriedly.

Naruto swallowed heavily. "Sure," one side of his mouth twitched upward. "Great idea." The smile slipped before it fully developed. He bent forward, catching his duffle bag before it fell off his shoulder completely and grabbed the first bag of soccer balls. He hefted it up with one arm and tried to sling it over his shoulder. The soccer balls slid around and shifted. Two stumbled in the opposite direction of his momentum. He struggled with his grip for a minute, before getting the weight where he wanted it.

He looked down at all the equipment still at his feet and turned at the waist to face his teammates. "Hey Lee," he nodded in the opposite direction. "Bet I can carry more equipment than you can!"

Two fuzzy brows lifted, two unblinking black eyes rounded with anticipation.

"Challange accepted!" a slender arm lifted, fist pumping into the air. The mid-fielder sprinted forward and quickly began heaping bags over his shoulder. "Neji! Hey Neji! Balance those cones on my head!"

Neji, shooting Naruto a dirty look while shaking his head, bent forward and picked up the large orange cones. "It's okay Lee, I'll carry these ones."

"But Neji, I've been challenged!"

"Forget it, Lee. You're already carrying more than Naruto."

Naruto laughed. He picked up another dark bag and grimaced a little at the weight. He hefted it over the same shoulder as his duffel bag and wiggled his shoulders.

"Alright, let's head out."

The team lumbered forward, kicking up small clouds of dust. The road was made of dirt, less rocky than the gravel driveway though the occasional rock still dug into Naruto's shoe. The dirt road eased into thin grass that thickened on both sides. Naruto's attention wandered to the cluster of trees separating the road from the guest house. They weren't thick enough to obscure the road, though the dark patches seemed a welcome refuge from the hot sun.

Naruto glanced up and squinted into the sky. Not a single cloud stirred. They sat in the pale blue sky, stagnant with the lack of a breeze. His shirt clung to him uncomfortably. His fingers twitched, his palm sweating around the net clasped tightly in his hand.

Lee prattled on excitedly beside him, pointing out a tree with a branch that grew out perpendicular to the trunk.

"I bet you I could do a hundred chin ups on that branch in under five minutes."

Naruto snorted. "Maybe after we carry up this equipment. I'm sure the stop watch is in here somewhere." Naruto nearly leaped when he felt a foot come down on his heel. The edge of his shoe slipped free and he hobbled before he lost his shoe entirely. Glancing behind him, Neji's slender brow sloped downward, his mouth pressed into a straight line.

"What?" Naruto grinned. "You want to be the one to time him?"

"Are you trying to be obnoxious?" Neji replied.

Naruto grinned. He faced forward again and the grin dropped. His eyes scanned the road up ahead, searching for the dorms. The trees began thinning, but it was a dirt field he saw instead. Chalk lines branched out in familiar patterns. An old net was set up at one end. The field was empty as far as he could tell, but there was one lone orange cone placed in the middle of the field. Naruto inhaled swiftly as his pulse seemed to leap against his throat. He scanned the other side of the field, but no one was outside.

"Keep marching boys, almost there!" Asuma barked out gruffly. His yell was punctuated by an immediate coughing fit. Shikamaru clapped him on the back.

Buildings lined the field and Naruto felt his spirits sink at the sight of them. He wondered if these were the dorms, but Asuma continued to march beyond them. The words "Storage Room" were printed on one door. Naruto missed the sign for the other building. He looked around, noting the layout. There was noise coming from somewhere and when he turned he noticed the windows open on a building ahead of them. People were visible just beyond the screens. When he was close enough he noticed the sign. "Dining Area."

He searched the snatches of faces visible beyond the windowsill, his attention flickering from one face to another. He paused when he noticed a shock of spiky red hair and his insides lurched with the realization.

The figures inside had noticed them and there was a buzz suddenly directed their way. The boy with the red hair began turning toward the window and Naruto quickly looked in the opposite direction. "Hey Lee," Naruto called without turning. "There's a recreation room right there." The windows were open, but no one was inside. "We should check it out later."

He felt the eyes watching him from the window and kept his head turned until they were well beyond reach. He redirected his gaze to his tennis shoes, still feeling the burn of those eyes on the back of his head. His phone felt heavy in his pocket.

He noted the smudges of black on his clean shoes, a thin layer of dirt coating the surface and told himself to wipe it down later.

"I think those are the dorms up ahead!" Lee exclaimed. Naruto glanced upward. He shrugged one shoulder to ease the ache of his burden and noted the neat rows of buildings up ahead. Numbers were listed on wooden placards at the corners.

"I'll race you the rest of the way!" Lee challenged, breaking out into an even trot before Naruto could even reply.

Naruto sighed and walked briskly, the equipment bags swinging with the momentum and crashing against his lower back.

"I hope this place has showers," Naruto muttered to Neji. His fellow striker shrugged his shoulders.

"A communal bath, at the very least." Naruto looked beyond Neji to the dining area.

The team began slowing down. Naruto just managed to sidestep Chouji in time, careful not to bump into his best defender with the bags heaped on his back. Asuma paused to the side, his neck stretched out to see over the crowd, back in the direction from which they came.

"Alright boys, listen up. These are the camp rules. One. Keep your room clean. You leave trash in there, and every creepy crawly in these woods is going to come in after it. You hear me, Chouji?" Asuma glanced up. The defender crossed his arms over his wide chest and grimaced. "I'm not fighting wild life over your potato chips."

"Fine," Chouji grumbled.

"Two. Lights out at 10, and I mean this literally. These outdoor lights are on a timer. If you need to be out of your room, you clear it with the coaches first. Three, do not venture into any area that is off limits. Respect locked doors and road blocks. Four. Do not feed the wildlife, whether it's intentional or not." Asuma glanced up and shot a warning look at all of them. "Five, in the unlikely event you find a girl and manage to lure her back to the room, you keep your door open." Asuma paused and chuckled to himself.

He shook his head and scanned his list for a moment.

"Six, do your laundry in the laundry room. They have coin machines and an area to hang dry your stuff. I don't want any wise-alecs trying to scrub down their sweaty socks in the lake. Seven, separate your trash. We collect it each Tuesday. Eight, no fighting, nine, no liquor allowed and ten, if you break any of these rules and I catch you, I'm handing you to Gai for punishment."

Naruto winced.

"Any questions?"

Kiba raised his hand. "What happens if Lee breaks a rule, huh?"

Lee glanced from Kiba to Asuma, perplexed.

Asuma smoothed over his beard with his finger and thumb. His mouth quirked upward and he snorted. "Lee, you break a rule and I chain you down to a chair for a day. No training for you."

Lee's mouth dropped as the rest of the team erupted into laughter.

"But seriously guys, we are guests here, so please act respectfully. If you need anything, you address us. If you need directions or want to borrow equipment, one of us will be in the first room of each dorm."

Shikamaru raised his hand. Asuma nodded in his direction and a devious look sidled onto Shikamaru's face. "Is smoking allowed?" he asked. Asuma grimaced.

"In designated areas only. They will be marked by signs."

Shikamaru grinned.

"Not that anyone should be smoking," a familiar voice pitched in.

Naruto practically leaped out of his skin. Kakashi was standing directly behind him, his eyes crinkled in a smile at all of them. "Consider the last rule to be, don't lose your keys." He held up a manila envelope and shook it. "You won't be receiving a replacement." Kakashi casually strolled to the front of the group and handed the packet to Asuma. "Naruto, Lee, bring that equipment this way."

Lee practically leaped forward, keeping three steps ahead of their slow-moving coach. Naruto moved at a more leisurely pace, his attention wandering to the rectangular buildings. The numbers 1-8 were listed on the side of the building. Naruto recalled his room number and looked at the place where he would be living for the next couple of weeks. It was brown, non-descript, with the same square windows as the dining room. It was likely boiling inside, with no air or heat to speak of. But they walked beyond this dorm to the building next door. The numbers 9-16 stood out in clean, white numbers. Kakashi reached for the screen door and pulled it open. He fished for a key and unlocked the door behind that.

"After you," he said politely, allowing Lee and Naruto to step in before him. Neji brought up the rear, pausing just inside the hallway. Kakashi paused two doors down. He fished for another key in his pocket and opened the door.

"We have a spare room so we will use this for storage. Put the cones down by the door."

Naruto set the bags down in the back of the room. He glanced around and noticed the very basic furnishings. Two bunk beds were pushed against the walls on opposite sides. There were tall wardrobes on each side of the door and a few trash cans, but that was it. He would be living out of his duffel bag for the most part.

"Thanks boys," Kakashi's hand clapped his shoulder. Naruto felt himself pushed forward with Kakashi's not so subtle nudge. "Asuma will have your keys. All of you should be in the next dorm over."

As soon as they exited, the door closed behind them. Whatever Kakashi had in mind involved staying in the storage room a bit longer.

"Hey Neji," Lee exclaimed. "Let's race to see who gets the top bunk!" His skinny legs began pumping forward and his feet clapped along the wooden floor. Neji looked ready to murder someone, but he shuffled forward and gradually picked up his knees. Naruto didn't feel compelled to run. He pulled his shirt away from his sticky body, moving in the direction of his vanished teammates when he noticed a sign posted by the door of the first room. He missed it somehow upon entering, but it was the name that caught his attention.

"Sabaku siblings, Baki" it said. Naruto looked to the closed door and he felt his chest sink with quick burst of relief. And yet at the same time, there was a bitterness in it like the faintest hint of disappointment.

He brushed it off, and pushed the screen door open. Most of his teammates had dispersed, but a few lingered. Shikamaru was gone, so Naruto walked beyond his coach and went directly to the next dorm over. Inside was cooler, but not by much. The shade eased the burn of the direct sunlight, but the slight humidity made the air feel thicker, stuffier, and too still for his comfort.

As he suspected, the door with the number one written on it was wide open, held that way with a rolled up magazine stuffed under the bottom as a wedge.

Shikamaru's pony tail stuck out from the top bunk. He lounged with his leg propped up on one bent knee and his head resting on the back of his palms. He stared up at the plain, wooden ceiling, thoughts fixed on that blank canvas as though they were clouds.

"That's not fair, you know," Naruto griped. He slid his bag off his shoulder and lowered it to the floor.

"The other one is still empty." Shikamaru replied without moving. Naruto huffed and dragged his bag over to the other bunk. He threw his bag on the top when he glanced down and noticed the bag on the bed below his.

"Who else is here?" he asked, but then he paused. There was a tag, with a letter scrawled.

"Suna," Shikamaru responded. "We're in the captains room, apparently."

Naruto pulled the tag forward and let it go just as quickly. The name Sabaku was scrawled in messy letters, followed by an address he was unfamiliar with.

"But they're in the other dorm," he said to himself.

"Maybe they switched rooms," Shikamaru replied. "Is this going to be a problem for you? With the no fighting rule and all."

"You're lucky you're safe up there or I'd be tempted to break that rule now," Naruto responded. He climbed up the bars on the end and crawled onto the thin mattress. There was a crisp, white sheet folded back neatly. He pressed his cheek against it and smelled sunshine and the faint sweetness of laundry detergent. He sucked in a deep breath, his chest fluttering. He peeked over the edge of the mattress, between the safety bars and saw the tag still there. Naruto rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with his arm. The frame of the bunk bed was still tottering slightly from his shifting weight.

"Did you know about this?" he asked the ceiling. His shirt was clinging to his back again and he fidgeted, the frame of the bed groaning under his weight.

"Officially? No. But someone may have recommended it to Asuma during a shogi match last week."

Naruto sat up swiftly and tossed his pillow across the room. It missed Shikamaru entirely, bouncing off the saftey rail. Naruto watched helplessly as his pillow landed on the floor.

"What did you do that for?" he said. The frame wobbled under him as he hurried to climb down.

"Did you call him once in that whole time you had off between now and when finals ended? Did you send an email like I advised you to?"

Naruto paused in the middle of the room looking down at his pocket and feeling the weight of his phone. One hand ghosted over the rectangular outline beneath the khaki.

Hi Gaara! How is your summer break!

So, how's it going? I hear we'll be working together soon.

I saw you in the newspaper the other day...

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, curling his fingers into a ball. He opened his eyes again and strode forward, snatching up his pillow with a huff.

"It's not like he couldn't have sent me an email first! And I was busy training," he said, tossing the pillow back onto his bed. "I passed out on the field last night and nearly missed the bus this morning!"

Shikamaru snorted.

"Besides," Naruto glanced down at the bag again. "You know I'm no good at this stuff. I can't strategize and make plans and figure out what's going to make people build up teamwork. I work better when I'm thrown into a situation and know what I'm dealing with first. You're better at planning..."

"You can't avoid him forever," Shikamaru stated bluntly.

Naruto opened his mouth, a protest hot on his tongue when his head whipped toward the door. There were voices, plural, raising up a din from outside. Naruto's chest rose. He held his breath before letting it out slowly. The screen door creaked open and footsteps landed heavily on the wooden hall floor.

"Speak of the devil," Shikamaru stated. Naruto's hand reached out for the bar of the bunk bed. He squeezed it tightly, knuckles white before his shoulders eased and he let go.

A rap sounded at the door. A tall brunet popped his head in, brown eyes glancing around the room. "We saw you guys making the death trek to the dorms. I figured you would still be here."

Kankuro stepped inside, looking cool despite his loose black pants and long-sleeved black shirt. He hooked his thumbs in his pockets, and leaned against the doorway. The space seemed to shrink around him. But Naruto's attention was drawn past the wide shoulder obscuring the marching figures behind him, fixated on the pale sliver of Gaara's face.

"Welcome to the captain's quarters."

Naruto barely registered Kankuro's smile in time to respond. He split out in a grin that felt too wide, too tight across his face and crossed the room with one hand extended. The striker stepped forward and clasped his hand firmly. Naruto kept Gaara in his peripheral vision, trying and failing to read through the other's impassive expression. His cheek twitched with the effort of holding his smile.

"When did you guys get here?" Naruto's voice sounded high. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. He tried to lean against the frame of the bed and nearly lost his balance. He caught himself and placed a hand against the pole instead.

"The crack of dawn?" Kankuro asked turning to look at his brother. Gaara shrugged. "We took a night bus and arrived shortly before 6. Of course Baki thought the best way to wake us all up was to run a few miles before the heat settled in."

Naruto grimaced. He felt relieved they had opted for the train. His attention flitted to Gaara, but he found he couldn't hold his attention there and so he looked back at Kankuro. "Don't let Gai hear that," he grinned. "Or we will be running at the crack of dawn every day this week."

Gaara harrumphed. Kankuro and Naruto looked at him simultaneously. He strode across the room quietly and Naruto felt his heart drumming rapidly as he realized Gaara was approaching him.

Despite the heat, he kept his arms covered in a long sleeved black t-shirt. Naruto felt warm just looking at him and the red t-shirt he layered over it. His slacks were the same loose fabric as Kankuro's. He moved like a cat, comfortable and at ease as though the room was his.

Green eyes flicked upward, catching Naruto's briefly before shifting to the bag. Naruto leaped to get out of his way, eyes still trained on his back and briefly noting that Gaara's shoulders were less slender than he remembered.

"Gaara won't sympathize," Kankuro teased. "He gets up that early anyways. I tell him he needs to learn how to sleep."

Gaara didn't answer, but one side of his mouth curved upward. It was a smile, and one Naruto didn't think was meant sarcastically. He kept his head bent down, fingers pulling open zippers and fishing around inside.

"Too much coffee?" Naruto hazarded. Gaara's brow lifted. The curve of his lips stayed there, rising just a smidgen. It was then that Naruto realized that the object Gaara had fished out was a pack of instant coffee. He laughed in spite of himself.

Gaara zipped up the bag and pushed it further onto the bed. He walked back across the room and paused by the doorway. "You know where to find me. See you later."

Kankuro nodded. "Have fun," he teased.

A bit of light from the window had reached just outside of their door. It caught Gaara's hair, highlighting the brilliant shades of red. "You're not?" Naruto paused and closed his mouth. He looked from the bag to Gaara hovering just outside. "You mean you're not staying here?" he asked.

"You sound disappointed," Gaara stated. Naruto clamped his mouth shut, scowling when he felt his cheeks warm up.

"How can it be the captain's quarters without the captains?" he huffed.

Kankuro smiled. "He's in the other dorm, rooming with our sister. She insisted on joining us and Baki didn't trust her to have a room of her own. He figures, no one can misbehave if Gaara is her roommate." Kankuro clapped his brother on the back. "He also figures Gaara is the only one who might survive her for more than a week."

Gaara smiled. "Don't let her hear you say that." The expression was for Kankuro alone. Naruto looked from one brother to the other. They shared some knowledge that Shikamaru and he were not privy to. Naruto smiled in spite of himself.

"Anyway," Kankuro rolled his eyes. "We can all chat tonight when our coaches force all of us into the rec room. Baki asked me to come up with some ice breakers, but I figured a few packs of cards and some board games would take care of it. You brought that shogi board?" Kankuro aimed this at Shikamaru.

"I never leave home without it," Shikamaru said.

"Until then," Gaara said, interrupting the flow of conversation. He offered a curt nod in their general direction.

"Yeah, sure," Kankuro said. Gaara didn't return his brother's wave, slipping down the hall and out of sight. Kankuro watched him leave. "That guy," he shook his head. "A regular zombie without his coffee." He strode across the room and slipped onto the bed. Settling his head on his duffle bag he clasped his hands over his stomach and closed his eyes. "I hope you guys brought ear plugs," he grinned.


Naruto stared intensely at the back of the cards in front of him. His fingers hovered over one and he glanced up, trying to gauge the expression of those observing him. Neji had a remarkable poker face when he wanted to. He looked as bored as Shikamaru did when he played. Naruto shifted his fingers to the side, hovering over the next card. Kiba snorted and stifled a giggle.

Naruto grinned and went back to his original choice. He flipped the card triumphantly only to discover a Joker staring back at him. The gathering around them exploded into groans and shouts and laughter. Neji grinned at him, Lee's hands heavy on his shoulders, shaking him in congratulations. Naruto scowled and sank his chin on his hand.

"Yeah well, it doesn't count unless it's best out of three!" He tossed the Joker down onto the table, but he was laughing. A few of Suna's players had been watching and they too were exchanging smiles. Naruto grabbed one of them by the sleeve and sat him down on the chair next to him.

"Think that's funny, huh?" Naruto teased him. "You try playing him," he nodded in Neji's direction. The Suna player clasped his fingers together, stretching them outward to crack his knuckles.

"That's because he hasn't played me yet," another team member responded. A middle-sized guy with a considerable tan and a wild mane of unruly dark hair tapped Naruto with the back of his fingers. Naruto stood up and ceded his chair.

Neji was already shuffling the cards and a few more had pulled up to the table. Naruto smiled at them. He hadn't caught their names, but he would, the next time they played. Turning, he surveyed the recreation room. The sun was still up, warm rays of sunlight still potent, but less harsh than at midday. He caught Shikamaru sitting by a window, legs crossed on a bench while he hunched over his shogi board. He was deep in thought, judging by the way he rested his chin on the back of his hands. Asuma was grinning. Usually a bad sign.

He wandered over and surveyed the board. His rudimentary understanding of shogi aside, he was pretty sure Asuma had the advantage.

"Not looking so good, huh Shikamaru?"

His friend ignored him, still focused on the board.

Naruto squatted and looked at the board with him. Shikamaru had tried to teach him, numerous times and so had Asuma. But Naruto had never quite gotten into it. It was a little too slow paced for his tastes.

"Your defense looks good, but your offense is horrible." Naruto glanced up, startled by a figure leaning over them. A tall girl, in loose workout pants and a black t-shirt peered down her nose at the board. She had bright blonde hair, not too different from Naruto's own, jutting out in a series of short ponytails.

"What do you expect from a goalie?" Asuma teased. The girl snorted much in a way Naruto was accustomed to hearing from Kiba.

"And if you had any balls, you would have done this ages ago." She leaned over, hand stretched out to avoid hitting Asuma or Naruto, and moved Shikamaru's piece for him. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, his mouth pressed into a thin line. If Naruto didn't know him so well, he was certain Shikamaru looked like he was ready to flip the entire board over.

"I don't recall asking for help." He kept his eyes trained on the board.

"Help?"

Naruto sidled sideways, cautious of the way the girl now leaned back, arms crossed over her chest. "You should be thanking me for saving your ass."

Asuma was trying very hard not to laugh. He moved the toothpick in his mouth from one side to the next, grinning around it while he hid half his face with one hand pressed against his cheek. Shikamaru noticed and for the first time, in a long while, the usually cool co-captain seemed flustered.

"You just ruined my plans," Shikamaru said a little more diplomatically. The girl next to them grinned. By now Naruto had gathered who she was and why she was here and it didn't make her any less intimidating.

"So your plans went awry. Something unexpected happened. You're gonna give up now and cry?"

When she grinned, it was even more terrifying.

Shikamaru huffed. "Troublesome woman," he muttered under his breath. Naruto pat him on the back.

"Gambare," he offered. He nodded at their intruder and tip toed away from the game.

Sai sat on a bench, hunched over his sketchbook. He focused on the group of card players, sketching minute details onto faces that were still more robot than human. Their geometric shapes slowly evolved into noses and soft cheeks and the quick dash of a pencil added eyebrows or frowns.

"That's a pretty good one," Naruto placed his finger on the paper where Sai had captured Neji's air of superiority down to the prim line of his mouth and the judging slant of his brow. Like someone passed gas and he was too polite to say anything. Sai pushed his hand aside. Naruto roamed and caught another detail. A tattoo that had been scribbled and then smudged out. A slender outline, back turned to the table while the angle of his chin suggested his absent eyes had been trained on the party behind him. Naruto glanced up, but he had seen nothing of Suna's captain since the brief run in at the captain's quarters. Naruto noticed himself staring intensely at the paper cards drawn into his hand and realized why.

He glanced around the room, but there was no snatch of red hair visible to him. "Hey, did you see where Gaara went?" he asked He noticed Kankuro in another corner, a telling smile on his face and five cards posed. Shino sat across from him, perfect poker face intact as he placed his cards down. The table erupted into groans.

Sai kept scribbling, messy swatches of lead that filled in the half-formed figures. "Outside," he said, eyes still trained on his subjects. Naruto placed a hand on Sai's shoulder, patting him gently. He slipped out the door and shielded his eyes against the low slanting light. The sky had turned orange with the sun touching the mountains.

He glanced around, but he could see nothing of Gaara. He only found Kakashi sitting on a stool, his back against the wall. He had a book in his hand, and despite the plain brown book cover shielding the title from him, Naruto could guess what it was. He walked up to his coach, noting the soccer ball beside him. He reached with one toe and rolled it toward himself. "Where is everyone else," he asked. Kakashi peeked at him from over the book. He blinked once, then twice and then offered a brief shrug before returning to his book.

Naruto dribbled the ball on the dirt. It was smoother than grass and the ball picked up momentum quickly, threatening to run away from him. Naruto steered it toward the orange cone still sitting in the middle of the field. Naruto yanked it up with one hand, dragging one edge of the cone along the dirt and placing it in front of the goal. He walked a few spaces away, digging a line into the dirt with his heel. He kicked at it a little to deepen it before moving to the opposite side of the cone to do the same. His lines set, Naruto surveyed his space and nodded to himself. He dribbled the ball to the middle of the field, stopping it with his toe and shifting his weight to change directions.

He stared down the orange cone in front of him, remembering what he had practiced. It would be more difficult on dirt and it would require more control. He nudged the ball gently, sending it spinning away from him. He scrambled to keep up with it, imagining the cone was his opponent. He pulled the ball back toward him, angling his toe to kick low and pull it into the air. He kept the ball from touching the ground, trying to juggle the ball in careful short arcs closer to the cone and then around it.

He kicked the cone and lost the ball. Cursing he retrieved it and started from the beginning again. He made it a little further before losing it this time. Naruto wiped at the moisture beading his forehead.

Changing tactics, he tried to juggle with his back turned to the cone and then sideways. He nearly lost the ball, venturing out of the circle he imagined in his head and bringing himself back in it. He focused on his target, gauging the momentum and trying to predict its curving paths. He was so caught up in his task, it completely took him by surprise when he turned and discovered someone watching him.

Gaara stood at the edge of the field, arms crossed over his chest. He had an ipod strapped to his arm, headphones snaking out with a bud in each ear. Naruto couldn't tell how long he had been standing there or why. His expression betrayed nothing but a mild curiosity.

The ball went rolling straight for him. Gaara extended his leg, reaching for it with a running shoe. He halted it, using its momentum to send the projectile hurling in the opposite direction. Naruto stopped the ball in front of him.

"I didn't see you," Naruto offered by means of apology.

Gaara pulled out one ear bud. That was when Naruto noticed it- the damp red strands clinging to pale skin. Gaara's cheeks were flushed in bright red spots that stood out sharply against his complexion. A white towel was draped around his neck.

He had been training, despite Kankuro's story about laps at dawn. Gaara strode casually across the field. His attention focused on something beyond Naruto and the striker turned to see. The lights had been turned on inside the recreation room. Everything inside was perfectly visible from the windows.

Gaara paused a few feet away from him. He kept his eyes trained on the window where Shikamaru's head was bent.

"Showy," Gaara said, "but not very practical."

It took Naruto a moment to realize what Gaara was referring to. He flushed when the meaning sank in.

"I know that! I was just practicing," he barked.

A pale hand reached for the cone, tapered fingers clutching it tightly and dragging it to the middle of the goal posts. When he came back, he stood in place of the cone.

"Can you repeat that with a real opponent?" he asked.

Naruto half laughed, half shuddered at the challenge. He glanced back at his coach, but Kakashi was absorbed in his book and if he was watching the two of them at all, he made a good show at hiding it.

Gaara bent his knees slightly, feet apart like one ready to sprint at any moment. He readied his hands at his sides. His expression was calm, though his chest still rose in rapid breaths as though he was still recovering from a long run.

Naruto paused to evaluate. He detected no malice and yet, he wondered. Was this a trap? A chance to get even and fight it out without their fists? Was it a battle of wills, and a chance to establish dominance at the beginning of camp? Suspicion clawed at his insides.

But there was also the smile in the dorm room and the way he spoke to Kankuro. Something had changed. He simply didn't know how much.

His feet began moving ahead of him, gaining momentum as they kicked the ball forward. He kept up with it, speed building as he approached the goalie. He rolled the ball toward himself, raising it into the air. Gaara came forward, but Naruto was already turning, moving his torso to block the ball from his opponent. He managed one kick and a second, before he nearly tripped over Gaara's foot and lost it.

Gaara kicked the ball hard and sent it spinning toward the trees. Naruto chased after it, squinting into the setting sun. The soccer ball had gotten stuck in a small bush. Naruto used his toe to pull the ball toward him. He kicked it sloppily, allowing it to roll ahead of him yards at a time. He paused when he reached the middle of the field, facing his opponent at the end of it.

Gaara hunched forward, like he was preparing to rush his opponent. His eyes narrowed, body tense with concentration. Naruto remembered that look the last time they had faced one another on a field. He had wanted to prove something then, much like he wanted to prove something now. He had wanted to show off, to force Gaara to acknowledge his skill.

He had wanted so much to impress Gaara that he had forgotten about Sasuke. And now that they were alone on the field, it felt wrong. Naruto felt Sasuke's absence completely.

Naruto rushed Gaara head on. He shifted his body toward the right, hopping over the ball and using his left foot to kick it in the other direction. Gaara nearly fell for it, but he recovered quickly.

What does he mean to you?

Naruto focused on his feet. He shifted his torso to stand between his opponent and the ball. He stopped completely, the way Sasuke had so often done.

Nothing.

He lifted the ball into the air with his foot, trying to remember the sequence, the careful juggling act that Sasuke always seemed to perform so effortlessly.

He lifted it too high and so he used his head, brought it down to his knee and back to his foot. The angle of his foot was off and he sent it flying forward.

Gaara held his position and Naruto went running, chasing the ball's long shadow across the field. The outdoor lights flicked on, even though the sun still spread an orange glow above the dark line of trees.

He pivoted on the ball, turning himself around. Gaara stood, relaxed, on the other end. Naruto felt a burst of anger at his casual stance. He started his attack from the far end of the field, but before he even got close, Gaara rushed him. He pushed Naruto away from the center of the field, driving him into the left side. Naruto reversed the ball to the right, but he realized the implications. There would be no set up. He would have to go into a different play entirely. He stopped the ball and didn't even bother shooting on the goal.

Sasuke could have pulled it off and he would make it look easy. But maybe that was the difference, and the gap between them. Naruto briefly remembered that he had always practiced harder than Sasuke. He would train two, sometimes three times as long because that's how long it took him to learn sometimes.

"As I said," Gaara interrupted his thoughts. "Showy, but not practical. This play requires teamwork,"

"Shut up," Naruto snapped at him. Gaara's brows lifted in surprise. Naruto opened his mouth to apologize, but the words weren't coming to him.

Gaara's expression grew darker. He lifted both earbuds and put them on. Without a word, he turned and walked off the field.

Naruto ran his hand through his hair. His fingers tightened against his scalp, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Wait," Naruto held up one hand. But Gaara kept walking.