Uzumaki Naruto

Okay, sparring with sand nin in a greenhouse with a bazillion unnatural plants and rough hills in the middle of Suna is both weird and tiring. I could hardly get some of these people off my back, the way we split into 'every shinobi for himself' teams and tossed kunai and crap at each other. At one point, it was less a fight and more of a contest to see who had the coolest jutsus. I won with my Rasengan, of 'course; who can beat a ball of swirling chakra that makes people fly clear across the room with one hit? Not to mention I'm the only one who can do kage bushin no jutsu, using every clone to my advantage.

I'm pretty much awesome.

But then I go 'home' to find a fire exploding in the kitchen as Temari forgets about something on the stove for a few minutes and our meal is fried into black gunk. "Whoops!" the quad-ponytail girl says, throwing a hand to the back of her neck. Turning serious, she tells us, "This never happened, got it?"

Kankurou and I nod, and she forces him to help clean up. Vaguely, I notice that Gaara isn't here. "Oi, Temari-san, where's Gaara?"

"Sometimes he works late," she replies. "Before, when he still couldn't sleep, he'd sometimes stay there all night and never come home."

"I heard him on the roof half the time he did that," Kankurou adds, rubbing a pot dry with a towel. "Probably watching the sky or something girly like that."

Temari glared at him. "It's not 'girly' to like to look at the heavens at night, Kankurou. Maybe if you did it sometime, you'd see what I mean."

"Think I'll pass," he mutters, scratching a spot Temari missed with his fingernail. "That really ain't my style."

Ignoring the unimportant night-sky debate, I nod a little "Oh," while taking that information in. I was right, he really is unpredictable; his siblings just proved it. But I guess they don't mind; they're used to him being that way. But I hardly ever see the guy (since my Village is a three days trip away), so I can't say I'm used to it yet. I really have to go to Suna more; or better yet, convince Gaara to come to Konoha more on Kazekage business or whatever. I hate not seeing my friends for such long periods of time. Training with Jiraiya for nearly 3 years was hell on that part of me.

"I smell burning," comes Gaara's deep voice from the doorway.

Kankurou laughs as Gaara walks in. "Yep; Temari ruined dinner. Guess we're starving tonight!"

Temari whacked him on the head with the dish towel he's been holding. "Didn't I tell you, 'this never happened', just a few minutes ago, baka?!" she hisses.

The brunette sweat drops and backs out of hitting range. "Uh, yeah, you did. Sorry, Tem."

She turns to greet Gaara. "I wasn't sure you were going to come home tonight; good to have you at the table, even if I have to re-cook us dinner."

His shoulders twitch, like a shrug. "That's fine, Temari."

She blinks at his response before smiling. "Okay. Dinner will be ready soon enough, then. Just don't expect it to be super fabulous."

I give her a thumbs-up, telling her we didn't care. At least, I didn't; food was food, right? I'd be happy to have anything right now. I'm starved from training with (mostly) myself.

"So," Kankurou said, sitting at the other side from Gaara at the table. "What did you do today, Naruto?"

"I checked out that indoor training ground at the other side of the city. I was there sparring for most of the day."

"Cool," Kankurou says. He turns to the redhead. "What about you? Any news, oh great Kazekage?"

Gaara's eyes flicker at the mocking tone in his older brother's tone, but he says lightly, "Nothing much. I sent a few teams out on a mission or two, mostly to check that the blonde Akatsuki member who killed me was truly dead from the explosion Hatake Kakashi described. Two teams did that while another I sent to scout the cave I was killed in, specifically the statue that now holds Shukaku inside."

The puppeteer nods, wiping some paint of his face with his sleeve. Why does he wear that shit, anyway? He looks better without it. Kiba, too. And just about any other guy I know who wears make-up. At the sound of Shukaku's name, I suddenly ask, "Do you miss him?"

Gaara looks at me strangely, like: 'have you lost your mind?'. But still, after a little thought, he says, "I don't, honestly. There was nothing about him I liked."

"Really?" I ask. "Because if I lost Kyuubi, I think I might miss him, somehow."

"If you lost your Kyuubi," Gaara reminds me, "You'd be dead."

"Oh. Right. Well, if I didn't die, then I'd miss him."

"What for?" Kankurou snaps. "I mean, all Gaara's demon ever did was give him grief."

I wince, forgetting for a moment what Gaara's exact situation was with his demon. Or what used to be his demon. "Well, Kyuubi's different; he gives me chakra if I need it, and a lot of strength when I get angry. Plus, he hates it when I get too hurt; it pisses him off because it hurts him, too, so he lets me heal super fast."

My friend's eyes flash with sudden apprehension, and he murmurs, "So that's how it is."

"That's how what is, Gaara?" Kankurou asks.

"Yeah, what?" I also ask.

I could tell he didn't like being put on the spot. "Oh, nothing," he says slowly. "Just… that's how it is with the Nine Tailed Fox. I always wondered how your demon was different from my own, aside from all the obvious reasons."

"Like looks and elements?" I chuckle. "Or species of 'animal', for that matter."

He nods, taking me seriously. "Yes, besides those reasons."

Kankurou looks between us. After a moment, he makes an amused sigh. "You demon-carriers are so weird…"

"Actually, I'm the only demon-carrier now," I remind him, shaking a finger in his direction.

Kankurou mutters something, but I can't catch what. It sounded like, 'don't I know it'.


Sabaku No Gaara

There was a way with how he always seemed so casual and so upbeat that made my heart ache. It wasn't painful like the ache I felt when I was a child, but was more like an ache of longing. I didn't understand it, and it seemed the more time I spent with him, the more it grew.

I was never around Naruto enough to get this feeling before this week. I suppose it takes time to get this odd aching. Earlier today, when he was talking to me about the comrades I asked about, it briefly made my heart ache even more when he referred to me. It seemed to twist happily, a sort of flipping-fluttering motion. I inwardly frowned at that, because it sounded utterly silly. Not to mention a bit… embarrassing. For some reason, I didn't want him to know I felt that warmness in my heart around him. I'd have to keep it as my little secret.

Is this what Temari meant when she wanted him to make me 'feel'? I used to kill to get any feeling inside me worthwhile, but I realize now that was completely wrong, completely warped. I shutter, absolutely hating my old self. Naruto sees me shutter and asks if I'm cold. It was after sunset, so I probably had every reason to be cold. I lie by nodding my head. Temari offers to turn on the heater. I tell her to, still covering up such a small action. Why they worry so much about me escapes me. Maybe they're afraid I'll die again. But what do they expect? Am I just going to freeze in the middle of the night? The desert gets cold with no insulation on the ground or sky, but that doesn't mean it gets artic like the Land of Snow.

"There, all done," Temari says after a moment or two. "Time to eat!"

"Great! I'm starved," Naruto drools, on looking Temari's fresh cooking. It did look pretty good; she outdid herself.

"I burned it the first time because it's a new recipe I'm trying," she says. I know she doesn't like to cook, but you'd think she did by the way she tries new things every so often. Usually on special occasions. What was this occasion, then, I wonder?

Naruto inspects what she made. "You know, I think I've had something like this before. Hinata made it for me once." He takes a bite. Smirking, he tells my sister, "Hmm, yours doesn't taste as good as hers. Guess you'll be a bad housewife, then."

I could practically see the way Temari boiled with anger. She pulled out her fan and smacked him with it, right in the back of the head. "Shut up and eat, Uzumaki!"

"Ouch, ow! Gomen, gomen!!"

Suddenly, I start shaking. My stomach bubbles and a sound comes out the base of my throat. I was laughing. It was much more lighthearted then any laughter I've made before, and I wondered what about this scene made me giddy enough to laugh.

Three pairs of eyes look over at me, shocked. "Oi, Gaara, are you okay?" Kankurou asks, staring hard at me.

"I'm… just… fine!" I chuckle, calming down. "Can't you tell that I was laughing?"

"Yeah, but I've never heard you sound like that before… for a second I thought you were crying or something…" my brother says airily, still staring.

"Ah, Gaara, you're so cute when you do that!" Temari says, giving me a quick hug. I push her away gently.

"What up with you, Temari? You're acting like I'm 5," I mumble.

She just grins.

Naruto, on the other hand, was rubbing the sore spot Temari made on his skull while looking at me strangely. "I guess comical violence is Gaara's taste in jokes," he mutters. He sticks his tongue out at me like an immature brat. "Thank for the support."

The corner of my moth twitches into a smile. "She's my sister, and I know better than to critique her cooking. You didn't, so I'm laughing at your stupidity. With the way Temari is, did you think she'd let you get away with saying that?"

"With the way I am?" Temari quits her smiling, raising an eyebrow. "And how is that, Gaa-nii?"

"I told you not to call me that," I retort, scooping up a mouthful of food with my chopsticks. I chewed, tasting her work. Maybe Naruto's had better, but I thought it tasted perfectly well. I wanted it saltier, though.

My sister sighs and seats herself, serving up her own plate to eat. We sit there for a moment, just eating. With a bored tone, Kankurou suggests, "Let's rent a movie. I feel like sitting on my ass tonight."

"Sure, I feel like one too," Temari remarks, taking a gulp of water. At the same time, Naruto downs some milk.

"But what will we see?" I ask casually, not very fond of movies. But I'll watch one anyway.

"Oh! Get an action or an epic, please. Those are my favorites," my friend pipes up.

Temari pouts. "But I want a chick flick." When it came to my sister, the only girly thing she liked was 'chick flicks'. I thought they were a tad boring.

"I say a comedy," Kankurou adds. "But that action movie idea ain't so bad, either."

"Then just get more than one movie," I tell him. "If you say they're for me, I bet you'll get a discount."

My brother laughs. "Ha, genius! I'll do just that…"

"Gaara, that's a bit sneaky, don't you think?" Naruto accuses.

I just send him a look. "But it's partially the truth. I'll be watching some of them with you three."

"Really? But I thought you hated movies, Gaara," Temari adds. She appeared suspicious, but was grinning.

"I'm not very fond of them, no," I say. "But every once in a while I can indulge myself with some pretend story."

Kankurou snorts, as if to say, 'I'll believe that when I see it'. Temari winks at me. "Oh, I get it now."

I flush at her wink, hoping she wasn't thinking… uh, something ridiculous. And by the way she giggled next, I knew she caught the color in my face. Damn, I despise my pale complexion; it gives away all my unwanted thoughts that cause me to blush. Naruto, luckily, remained oblivious to our exchange, as did Kankurou; both of which I was thankful for. The last thing I need is Naruto prying or Kankurou teasing me.

"Kankurou, I can come with you, ne? I want to pick out something," I hear the kitsune ask as Temari and I clean up after dinner.

"Sure thing."

As we hear the door open, Temari shouts, "NO PORN!"

Kankurou just laughs, but it was in a way that told me he had been thinking about it. Naruto laughs in the same way, as if it had been all his idea to begin with.

"We won't, promise!" said blonde calls back, and the door shuts behind them.

"Boys," my sister murmurs, rolling her eyes. I glance sideways at her. She feels the stare and hastily adds, "Not that all boys are like that; especially not you, Gaara!"

I grin nastily. "You got that right."

It was her turn to look sideways at me. "And it looks like I was right about something else, too," she smirks.

My face slips into an ashamed expression. "Right about… what?"

Still smirking, she hands me the last dish to dry. "Oh, just my guess about Uzumaki Naruto and you."

"And… what was your guess?" I felt a little sick, because I feared she knew about my secret.

She chuckles cruelly. "Huhu, Gaara, don't be modest. I knew what was going on ever since you apologized to us after your fight with him. It started then and didn't stop, but now it's stronger than ever since you… came back. I can see it; I may not be like other girls, but I'm still a girl. I know what a crush looks like."

I drop the dish I had been drying, and the pottery shatters on the tiled floor with a terrible sound that rings in my ears. It wasn't until recently that Naruto told me what a crush was… but he never specified the feeling you get inside when you have one. Slowly, I regain my composure. "Uh… wh-what do you mean by 'crush'?"

She picks up the pieces of the broken plate, smirking at me ever still. "Actually, I take it back; it's less of a crush than an infatuation. Am I right?"

I knew what that word meant. It's a passion, an obsession, a variation of love. Automatically my fingers start to trace the raw, scaly flesh of my scar, with was no longer covered by a thick layer of sand like it was before. With my fingers going over it, I murmured "Ai," to myself.

Temari nods. "You know, I never expected you to fall for a girl. Specifically, I thought you'd fall for anyone what showed you kindness or empathy, or whoever knocked some well-needed sense into you. And as soon as you said you were sorry, I knew that person was Naruto. He's a guy, but I'm okay with it. 'Cause, despite what a knuckle-head he can be, he's a good guy. I hardly remember he has a demon, and at first thought he didn't have one with the way he acted when we first met him."

Temari sure is talkative tonight, I think dully. But the other part of my mind was racing, taking in that she said. Was she right? Was I… "You're wrong," I tell her. It felt a lot like a lie, but I refused to have what she said be truth. "I wasn't meant to love anyone in that way. I can't be…"

She lightly punches my bicep. "Liar! I see how you act around him. No one else makes you act that… human. You smile a lot more and your eyes look so much kinder." She pauses. "I wish you'd be happy like that all the time," she adds solemnly.

I shake my head at her, still refusing what she was saying.

"Look," she establishes, rolling her dark teal eyes slightly. "Don't believe me. But believe your heart; what does it do when you're with him compared to when you're with me, or Kankurou, or anyone else?"

I cast my eyes down, gripping my chest through the layers of fabric. "It… it doesn't hurt. It aches with longing. It speeds up or somersaults, making me dizzy."

I had whispered it, and was surprised she heard it all. She nodded to me. "Well there you go, Gaara. You're in love."

My hand drops as my head shoots up to glare at her, eyes narrowed. "Temari, I swear, if you tell anyone I'll –"

She backs away. "I know, I know… believe me, my lips are sealed. It'll be our little secret."

I grumble something about it supposed to be my secret only, but my sister just chuckles again as she sweeps up the dust left behind by the broken pottery.