The desert was indeed cruel, unmerciful, torturous… it was damned hot! Naruto had to stop and wipe the sweat from his brow. Gaara patiently turned and lifted a nonexistent eyebrow at his sweaty companion. Naruto took in Gaara's calm demeanor with a touch of annoyance.

"How the hell can you stand this? And to make matters worse, you are draped in that heavy ass robe." he said gruffly. Gaara tilted his head and glanced down at his attire as if just noticing it.

"My robe does not please you?" he asked innocently.

"No, it doesn't." the blond answered with an emphatic shake of his head. "I'm getting hot just looking at you." The corner of Gaara's mouth twitched upward momentarily and Naruto wondered why.

"Alright then." Gaara then proceeded to slowly pull at the obi at his waist, drawing the soft material from its loose knot. He looked Naruto straight in the eye as he moved arching his back as the heavy covering pooled around his feet in the shimmering sand. "Does this please you then?" he asked with a slight husk in his voice. Naruto furrowed his eyebrows and looked over his friend with a thoughtful expression. He couldn't believe that he never noticed that Gaara had grown so much. Where the hell did those muscles come from?! He was a far cry from the once skinny, goth kid he grew to know. The sun was slowly sinking behind him setting his flamed tresses ablaze. His eyes seemed to glow and twinkle with mischief and the softly parted, pink lips were just a bit too inviting. Yes, Gaara was beautiful. But that was all. Sasuke was beautiful. Sakura was beautiful. Hell, everyone had seemed to come into their own. Naruto felt his heart shatter a bit more. Everyone was beautiful but him. Naruto allowed himself to sink from his crouched position and sat hard in the gritty sand. Gaara wondered why Naruto seemed so sad suddenly. He stepped closer and sat in front of Naruto crossing his legs Indian style and folding his hands neatly in his lap. Naruto's eyes flickered toward the gesture, his sight trained on the laced fingers. He reached out and touched them, caressing them with his own calloused pads. Gaara gasped and tensed at the sensation marveling how such simple contact could create such reaction. Misinterpreting Gaara's tense form, Naruto drew away with a pained smile.

"I'm sorry. It's just that you have very beautiful hands." he said. He did not even think of the fact that one guy saying such a thing to another would be seen as strange to some people. But after all that has happened between him as Sasuke, those kinds of things did not bother him. All taboos and social blunders were abstract to him especially since he was the physical embodiment of the largest one of the village. He WAS taboo incarnate, so in essence it didn't matter what the hell he did. Good or bad he was a monster and that was it. All that was left now was truth and the truth was that his red headed friend had beautiful hands. And there it was. Gaara reached out and hesitantly took Naruto's hand in his. The action surprised the Kyuubi container and he gave Gaara a curious look. Was Gaara blushing? Naruto felt a velvet thumb smooth across the back of his hand.

"I don't mind if you touch me, Naruto." Gaara said softly as if he were nervous of what Naruto would say. Well, the blond was certainly not expecting that. He felt the strange urge to explore. He took his free hand and touched the red strands. They were softer than they looked. His fingers traveled down toward the wan cheek pausing to caress the blackness around those jade eyes. He had always secretly wondered if Gaara wore kohl, but it seemed that his friend was just in dire need of a week of sleep. He did not notice that Gaara's breathing had deepened and quickened, not even when he touched the moist lips and the breathed air condensed slightly on his parched skin. His touch traveled down to the marble neck and he noticed when Gaara shivered. He looked up from his examination and trapped those eyes with his, blue clashing with aquamarine.

"You are beautiful, Gaara." he said. His voice was monotone but sincere, and with a disappointing lack of lust. Gaara felt a wave of need well up within and he realized that he had never wanted something so badly. All his life he was searching for a reason to exist, something worth fighting for. Then, a ditzy blond fumbled into his life showing him the meaning of love, loyalty and devotion. He owed his friend so much! And here he was before him, so empty and lackluster. What had become of him, he was not certain. But what he did know was that he had to keep Naruto away from Sasuke. He could not presume as to exactly what went on between the two, but he knew that Naruto had dedicated his life to the Uchiha once, long ago. He put his life on the line to bring his best friend back home. Gaara had seen the love Naruto had for Sasuke. He did not know then, but he was envious of it. He could not understand the tightening in his chest whenever Sasuke's name would roll from Naruto's tongue so forlorn and lost. And even after all was said and done, Sasuke had rejected him. But recently, something changed. The Uchiha was much too possessive of the blond as of late and even though Gaara could just chalk up his paranoia to rivalry, his instincts told him that Sasuke had done something extreme. Especially since Naruto was so willing to leave with him, even if just for a short trip. But this wouldn't be just a trip. Gaara intended to keep the blond. To protect him and help him heal. Naruto had once given Gaara something to live for, and now he had the chance to return the favor. He clutched the tanned hand and turned his face into the palm, taking a deep breath before kissing it lightly. Naruto gasped at Gaara's gesture but he did not pull away. Gaara smiled at his love.

"You are the most beautiful, Naruto."

Hey guys!!! I missed you! I intended to give special thanx to each individual reviewer, but I'm a bit pressed for time. Finals coming up you know! So hope that I do well to keep my good g.p.a. up. I will give thanx later so pleeeezzzz give me reviews! I will update soon. Ja ne! ;)