Sorry it has taken this long to post this chapter but I had school in the way and then I had to take my boards. Anyway, I am sure you guys are thinking 'no excuses!' right about now. LOL On with the chapter!
Gaara opened his eyes and scanned the unrecognizable room. He knew for sure he was no longer in his house. The walls were painted a tan color instead of his own dark forest green and the night tables were impossibly white. The room was smaller that his own and had two doors one which he assumed led to the bathroom. The bed he was laying on was a simple twin instead of his queen sized bed. Despite the simplicity of his new dwelling he was quite comfortable. How he got to be here was fuzzy, everything came in bits and pieces.
The last thing he somewhat remembered was falling unconscious with Naruto's teeth buried in his shoulder. In the time he was out he must have been moved to this unfamiliar room. Gaara's thoughts were interrupted when his stomach made itself known.
"You're awake. Oh that's good, I just finished making lunch." Gaara eyes located Naruto in the doorway holding a tray of what appeared to be soup.
"Naru..." Gaara coughed his throat to dry to speak. In the middle of his coughing fit he felt his head being raised and something cool was placed on his lips. His instincts kicking in Gaara drank from the cup greedily. With the coughing fit over and his thirst sated he was helped to a sitting position the pillows propped up to support his back.
"Thanks." Naruto nodded, grabbing the abandoned tray and adjusted the trays legs to the redheads lap.
"I hope you like miso soup, we are kind of limited to what we have to eat till tomorrow when Tsunade comes back."
"It's fine. If I may ask, I remember before you didn't so much as want to be near me. Why, the change of heart?" Naruto sighed and settled himself at the edge of the bed.
"Tsunade explained to me what it seems I have forgotten. I am sorry for what I did before, I really don't tend to think when I am in one of those rages. Tell me, what was the last thing you remembered?" Gaara's gaze was on his bowl of soup, trying to make sense of his memories.
"Last thing I sort of remember is you biting me. Everything after that everything else is jumbled to me."
"Understandable, you did have a high fever. I gave you some of my blood to heal the shoulder I tore up. The healing properties do have certain side effects for humans. Orochimaru's henchman found out where I was and attacked with some hell hounds. Nasty creatures and their odor is not pleasant in the least."
"You woke up long enough to aid me fight off some of them before the fever caused you to pass out. Tsunade arrived just in time before he could cause any more trouble. He managed to escape, meaning we couldn't stay at your house anymore. Shizune gave Tsunade the address to a safe house and so here we are."
" So what happened to your injuries?" Naruto grinned.
"I'm perfectly fine, I'm a super fast healer. Now eat up before it gets cold." As Naruto left the room Gaara lifted his sore arm to grasp the spoon, or at least tried to. His muscles were too sore and the spoon just slipped from grasp. Many failed attempts and he was nowhere close to getting the miso soup when Naruto returned.
"Gaara? What's wrong? Is the soup too salty?" Gaara sighed.
"I'm sure it tastes delicious, and I would love to taste some as soon as my arms cooperate with me. Also I am wondering how you learned to cook. I certainly didn't teach you." Naruto cursed and approached the red head, sitting on the edge of the bed across the tray.
" Damn, I forgot about slow human heal. I'll help you." Naruto already had a spoonful ready for Gaara to eat out of.
" I'll manage." Gaara declined the offer, in hopes that Naruto would just leave it be, however his stomach wanted to make itself known.
"See? You are hungry. Just open you mouth and I'll do the rest. Besides you can eat while I tell you how I learned to cook." Gaara glared at the spoon in front of his mouth, hoping it would just disappear. Gaara stomach growled, making him blush slightly. Resigning he opened his mouth, trying his best to ignore the grin the blonde gave him. As he listened to Naruto he never knew how much destruction one can make when learning how to cook.
Gaara stared up at the bumpy ceiling then at his roommate who was now sleeping on the floor huddled in his own blankets. The alarm clock read 3:45AM and he feared he may have had to spend another sleepless night, when his eyelids began to droop. The red lights of the alarm clock blurred and the dark veil of sleep washed over him.
He was in desert, sand as far as the eye could see. This was impossible, he should be in a cabin with Naruto somewhere. The cabin was nowhere in site.
"Where am I?"
" In your mind." Gaara did a 360 turn and came face to face of the source of the voice.
Himself.
This Gaara was wearing all brown, with a grey vest that buckled at the sides.
" Who the fuck are you?" Gaara spoke to his double.
"I am you. Or rather, dormant you." The double moved his hand and the sand shifted to form chairs. Even though the double sat, Gaara remained where he was.
"What do you mean?"
"I am the you that was created when you drank the fox's blood. It's quite complicated really."
"Then, why don't you explain in better detail?" However before his double could begin his explanation he was almost dragged off his feet when the sand shifted. His double frowned.
"It looks like we have to have this talk some other time. The fox seems worried about you. It's time for you to wake up."
"Wa-"The sand beneath his feet disappeared andhe felt himself falling.
"Gaara! Wake up!" Gaara eyes snapped wide open, gasping for breath. His body felt like he had just ran a marathon.
"Oh thank god! You're awake!" Gaara blushed as Naruto, who was straddling him at current time, hugged him tight.
"Whats wrong, Naruto?"
"You kept tossing in your sleep and your scent it seemed to change. When I tried to wake you, you wouldn't wake up." Naruto sniffed Gaara neck his nose close enough to tickle. Naruto's nose went lower, both his hands lifting the loose shirt to get a better sniff of the red head chest. Gaara flushed face returned full force and he grabbed Naruto hand's to prevent further exploration.
"What about my scent? Do I smell that bad?" Despite his hands being caught Naruto nose continued to travel, thankfully they traveled upwards to his head.
"The scent… it's…."Naruto took another long sniff of Gaara hair, "gone."
"Naruto, I'm not sure what anyone has told you, but we humans like our personal space. You are a little to close."
"Huh?" Naruto tilted his head to the side.
" People don't just sit on someone in bed and go sniffing them. If you could please get off?" Naruto nodded and rolled himself off the human, finally understanding what he had said. They laid there side by side on the tiny bed neither saying nothing.
"Naruto is there a bathtub where I can wash up?"
"Yes, there is. It's that door on your left." Gaara sat up slowly, grateful that his limbs were functioning at the moment. Gaara moved to stand, but Naruto jumped out of the bed to land in front of him.
"I think that is a bad idea. Hours ago you couldn't even move you arms."
"I'll be fine Naruto. I'm feeling much better, I'll just take it slow alright?"
"At least, lean on me." Gaara stood, trying desperately not to show Naruto how dizzy he was. With Gaara leaning on Naruto, they took slow steps toward the bathroom with Gaara leaning heavily on the blonde. Naruto's arm was around Gaara waist, with Gaara's arm around his shoulders.
They arrived at the bathroom and Naruto helped Gaara sit on the closed toilet seat.
"I think I can take it from here, thank you." Naruto stood with his hand on hips.
"What do you expect on doing?"
"I wish to take a bath." Gaara said as a matter-of-fact.
"You are jesting right? I practically had to hold your entire weight on your walk here. How do you expect to have enough energy to bathe yourself?" Gaara glared at the kitsune, finally noticing that his tail and ears were gone.
"Your tail and ears are gone." Gaara tried to change the subject to no avail.
"Grrr…. don't try to change the subject. I refuse to let you take a bath by yourself. You'll probably drown in the tub."
"I like my privacy." Naruto huffed in his frustration.
"So does every other creature at times, but you are still ill. Which means your privacy is going to have to be put on hold for a while." Naruto sighed rubbing his temples. "How about I stay in the bathroom, but I stare at the wall instead. That way you can have your privacy and I won't have to worry if you're drowning in here or not." Gaara pondered for a moment,
"Very well, not like I have a choice." Naruto grinned in satisfaction.
"You can get out of those clothes, I'll see what clean clothes Tsunade brought for you." Naruto tossed Gaara a towel and walked out of the bathroom. Gaara shook his head in exasperation. Why him?
He managed to remove his clothes, do his private business and wrap his towel his waist before the blonde came bursting back in the bathroom. Gaara blank out refused to be carried bridal style and just opted to lean on Naruto like before.
The bath was quick, to Gaara's relief and he was now relaxing back in the bed.
Or at least tried to relax.
"I see your awake and doing much better." Gaara stared at Tsunade who was standing in the doorway.
"How are you feeling Panda Man?" Tsunade hugged the groceries in front of her in hopes to block the uncomfortable stare being aimed her way.
"Fantastic. Now if only I can convince Naruto that I don't need his supervision. " Tsunade sweatdropped.
"Let me just put these groceries in the kitchen and I'll see how you are actually doing for myself." Tsunade power walked to the kitchen to escape Gaara's stare.
"You're stalling." Naruto sat on the kitchen stool grinning madly at the nervous Tsunade.
"Of course I am. Do you know what would happen when I tell him he is not fine? He has got a glare that can make gangsters run for cover." Tsunade looked over her shoulder as if expecting Gaara to pop out from behind her.
"How do you know?" Naruto hopped off the stool and began to put the groceries in their proper places.
"I have actually seen it happen." Tsunade went wide eyed waving her hands in the air.
"You're joking." Naruto snorted as he put the apple juice in the fridge.
"You wish. It was about a year back and we were out on a abused dog case and when we were going to take the dog and the owner gangster guy was coming at us with a steel bat. I was busy getting ready to defend myself so I didn't see the glare. One minute I dodged a swing and the next watching the huge guy hightailing it out of there. I looked over to Gaara and I see him standing there glaring after the guy holding the bat in his hand. I only saw what the glare was capable of. What would happen when I got the full blast huh? I really don't want to find out." With groceries put away, Naruto steered Tsuande back to the room that Gaara currently occupied.
"Just do what you need to do, don't piss him off. Which, means no pictures." Tsunade sighed and hung her head and placed a disposable camera on the long hall table before entering the room.
"Okay Gaara, lets see how well you are faring. Take off your shirt." Gaara used the one arm that wasn't in pain and tried to lift his shirt. He hissed when he jostled the healing shoulder. Naruto wordlessly helped Gaara out of his shirt.
"Okay so it seems your shoulder is a bit sensitive." Tsunade remarked. Naruto backed off and moved to the other side of the bed giving Tsunade room to inspect Gaara. Tsunade observed the seemingly normal but pink tinged shoulder.
"Looks like your skin has reconstructed fine, however the shoulder is looking pink and can feel warmth emitting from it. Naruto how long has it been like this?"
"There was no redness until last night."
"It looks like the muscles and ligaments are finally finishing up the healing process. You may get another fever I fear." Tsunade poked at the shoulder.
"Crap!" Gaara yelled throwing his head back.
"Tsunade?" Naruto held Gaara still to prevent further unnecessary pain.
"Sorry, but I needed to check how sensitive it really was. Can you lift the arm at all?"
"I could if you hadn't stabbed it with your knobby finger!" Gaara yelled holding his arm to his chest.
"I get it that, but try to move it." Gaara closed his eyes shut and raised his aching arm a few inches above his waist before it fell uselessly on the bed covers.
"Hmm. Naruto I need to come over here and support Gaara's arm." Naruto went over to Tsunade side, grasping the arm gently.
"Hold on to his wrist and his elbow. Good, now brace yourself Gaara, Naruto I want you to extend his arm out slowly. Perfect. So I want you two to do exactly this twice a day. I'll leave some pain killers for you so you can take before you do your exercises. I need you to do as many as you can." Naruto placed the arm back at Gaara's side and put back the covers.
"Ok so beside the arm you seem to be doing well. Are you sleeping at all?" Gaara said nothing, so Naruto answered for him.
"He slept a few hours last night but otherwise he has just been lying there wide awake."
"Traitor." Gaara whispered.
"Gaara you need to sleep to cooperate."
"I try."
"Then let me help." Tsunade placed her finger to his forehead and his head drooped to the side. Naruto sighed and got Gaara's lax body from a sitting position to lying back down on the bed.
"If you were afraid of a possible glare from him before, then wait till he wakes up. He is not going to be happy about that." Naruto walked Tsunade to the front door.
"I know, but at least this way he can get some deserved sleep and I can escape one more day from the glare." Tsunade handed Naruto a pill bottle. "Give him two of those at least half hour before you start those exercises" Tsunade gave Naruto a peck on the cheek and walked herself out the door.
I would like to thank ChishioShakun whose input has got me to get back to writing on this story again. If it wasn't for her this chapter wouldn't have been posted! THANK YOU ChishioShakun!
Reviews are needed to continue like always! You can check on my authors page should you wish to see how my stories are doing.
Later
IYN
