A/N : This a filler chapter of sorts. Not quite, but of sorts anyway. There were a lot of high emotions in the previous chapters and will be in the remaining two, so I decided a small light-hearted chapter with a disgruntled Gaara was in order. Beware, Gaara in a little more than slightly OOC here, but i like to believe that a lot of his rigidity, even in thought will improve with time.
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The jounin exams came too soon in Gaara's opinion. It meant that his beloved was going to away from him with minimum contact for nearly three months. This, after they had spent nearly every evening together for the past five months. The idea actually made Gaara pout in a fit of pique though he managed to bring his face back to his normal blank expression before anyone noticed.
Naruto had gotten better everyday. He wasn't completely alright, and Gaara doubted if he ever would be, but the pain and guilt weren't eating his beloved up from the inside and the grief wasn't nearly as debilitating as before. He was healing, and that was more than anyone could ask for, especially in their line of work. At the very least Naruto would meet his friends again, and it was well past time that he did. Most of the rookie nine were already jounin, having taken the exams earlier. The Inuzuka and Lee were the only two who weren't and they had opted out of the exams this year for their own reasons. Gaara couldn't really be bothered with them. Iruka and Kakashi were apparently going to take time off to visit and cheer Naruto on, as were his other friends, and they would be allowed to meet with him but he wouldn't because he was the Kazekage.
The relationship between the two of the was mostly a simmering, comfortable one. He knew Naruto was aware of his...affections for him, but they were at present not even acknowledged. Surprisingly enough, he found that he was content with whatever the blond was willing to give at the moment. He would not ask for more. Not when he knew that Naruto would give him anything he wanted despite his own feelings regarding the matter. If it was to happen, it would happen at their own pace and time. Of that he was certain. In the meanwhile he would stay with Naruto, watching and protecting him even from himself, as Naruto had once done for him.
The preparations weren't much in terms of diplomacy, considering it was being held Iwa in the Earth country. Naruto however had begun training in earnest even though Gaara believed his training regimen to be a mite too extensive. Really, it might be a jounin exams, but Naruto was a student of one of the Sannin. And was a sage. Did it have to be so time consuming and utterly exhausting? Didn't Naruto know that they wouldn't be able to talk much because of his position during the exams? Gaara found sulking rather pleasant. Best get it out in private before he frightened his subordinates. Or teased by Kankuro. Really, what was the point of being feared as a child only to be teased mercilessly when he decided to stop crushing annoying bugs?
Sighing at the the way his life had been turned topsy-turvy courtesy of one very blond, very adorable boy who had grown up into a very very sexy man, Gaara smiled a small, rueful smile and got back to paperwork. Maybe he could find Naruto and drag him away from training for a little while if he finished early enough. If he took too long the only thing his beloved would be was dead weight. Silly boy who had grown into a lovely man.
Gaara smiled again.
A/N: Let me know what you thought!