Chapter Ten:
Love isn't Always Easy
Naruto woke the next day feeling sore and drained. Gaara was nowhere in sight,
probably because he had to do things for the village. He didn't know what time it was
and felt terrible that Gaara had been right about Kankuro all along. He walked out into
the main area and found Temari waiting for him. She looked up at him and smiled,
"You're up. Do you feel better?" She asked.
Naruto sighed. "Somewhat. Where's Gaara?"
"In his office." She looked at him, "Kankuro's going away for a while to do some
thinking."
"Oh...okay." Naruto mumbled.
"Do you want me to fix you something to eat?" Temari asked.
"Thank you. I would like something to eat." Naruto responded as he sat on a chair.
Temari started raiding Gaara's fridge for eggs and bacon. She put a pan on the stove
and turned the heat on. "So tell me, are you feeling okay?"
"I wish. I feel drained."
"Gaara told me not to wake you up. He said you needed a lot of sleep." She explained as
she put the bacon in. Naruto felt his stomach grumble as he smelt the bacon cooking.
"I probably needed it. I feel weak."
"Naruto, you're not weak. You know this. Kankuro has to deal with his problems." Temari
responded.
"I know. I just feel like I messed it up."
"No Naruto. You didn't." Temari affirmed. She took the bacon out and put it on a plate,
then put in a few eggs to cook.
"I wish things turned out better."
"Don't we all? But you have to understand that Kankuro needs to sort through his own
issues. He can't be in a relationship properly till he's done that." After fixing
Naruto's eggs, she put everything on a plate and sat it in front of him. "Eat. It will
be good for you."
Naruto did as Temari said and ate the eggs and bacon slowly. He couldn't help but feel
bad about what had been done. He knew somewhere inside him, Kyuubi was laughing it up.
He was still very angry with the fox. After finishing, he told Temari, "I'm going to
lay back down. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is. Take all the time you need."
xxxx
Later that night, Gaara came in and found Temari reading on the couch. "Has he come out
any?"
"Once for breakfast." Temari replied.
"That's not like my Naruto."
"Your Naruto?" Temari asked.
"You know what I mean. It's just not like him to be so..." He stopped in mid-sentence,
unable to find the right word.
"Withdrawn?" Temari offered.
"Yes." Gaara agreed. "Exactly. You better go. I'm going to force him to take a bath."
"Don't be too rough Gaara."
"I won't. Don't worry Temari...Have you heard anything from Kankuro?"
"Not yet, when I do, I will let you know." Temari told her brother.
"Thanks. You better go."
"Alright. See you soon."
xxxx
Gaara walked in the room and found his friend sleeping. The sheets were all over the
bed and Naruto had a pillow between his legs. "Naruto get up."
The blonde stirred, but refused to get up. "Nngh...no Gaara."
"Naruto if you don't get up, i'll pick you up." When there was no response, Gaara said,
"Fine." He bent over the bed and scooped Naruto up in his arms and headed to the
bathroom.
"Wha...no! Gaara!" The blonde sputtered. "Where are you taking me?"
"The bathroom." Gaara responded quickly.
"Why?"
"You need a bath."
"I don't stink! Let me go!"
"You're acting like a child Uzimaki!"
Naruto shut up quickly. It had been years since Gaara had called him by his last name.
Gaara put Naruto down when he reached the bathroom. "Take a bath. I'll have some
clothes for you when you get done." He quickly left, leaving Naruto to himself.
Gaara could hear the water running and supposed that Naruto was finally taking a bath.
He gathered Naruto's clothes and placed them on the bed. He paced around the room until
Naruto called for him. "Gaara!"
He stepped into the bathroom and found Naruto struggling to sit up in the bathtub.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to get out, but I feel so tired. What's the matter with me?" Naruto asked
the red-head.
Gaara shook his head at the blonde, "Nothing. Come here." He hoisted his friend out of
the tub, ignoring his beautiful body for the moment. Naruto nearly collapsed against
the Kazekage. His legs were wobbly and he felt tired. He only wanted to lay down and
sleep again. Gaara grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Naruto's body. "Come on, let's
go and get you dressed."
"Nngh...Gaara!"
Gaara helped his friend put on his clothes and tried not to look at his gorgous body as
he did so. Once Naruto was dressed, the blonde rolled back in bed, but had to listen to
Gaara telling him what he would be doing tomorrow. "Tomorrow you are going to start to
be my personal assistant. So you won't be laying around."
"Ahhh...Gaara!" Naruto shouted as he pulled sheets over his head and moaned.
Gaara growled, "Naruto, this does not involve discussion."
"Okay." Naruto replied as he moved the sheets down to reveal his head.
"Good. Now, are you planning to sleep more?"
Naruto nodded. "Will you lay down with me?"
"Sure. Let me take off my things and I will join you."
Gaara took off his shoes and thought of how he would be able to live with such a
beautiful and stunning creature as Naruto. As he took off his things, he left on his
pants and put on a white tunic. He then slid into the bed with Naruto and hoped that
his imagination wouldn't run wild. He slid his arm around Naruto's waist and gently
cradled him to his body. This would be a hard night.
xxxx
Naruto didn't know that being Gaara's personal assistant involved so much work! In two
hours that he had been working he had, filed away several papers, taken scrolls to the
mail room, started reorganizing Gaara's files, and many more tasks. He didn't know he
would be doing so many things.
Gaara looked at Naruto as he sat signing papers. Temari came in and interrupted the
two. "Gaara, i'm going to be out of town for two days."
"Why?" Gaara questioned.
"I'm going to see Kankuro." Temari replied.
Naruto gasped. Gaara responded, "Why?"
"He's our brother Gaara. He has done things that I have not approved, but I need to see
him. He needs to know that we support him." She said as she hoisted her bag on her
back.
"Alright. Be careful." He agreed, as he waved Temari off.
"Goodbye." She waved back.
Naruto looked at Temari as she left and looked back at Gaara. "What is she going to
do?"
"I don't know. Hopefully she will be okay." Gaara said.
"Me too." Naruto agreed.
Gaara turned to Naruto and said, "Let's get back to work."
Naruto nodded, "Okay."
A/N: Sorry for the long update. I have been really busy with work. I know there is no sex in this chapter…I know. I will be writing some sex soon. Next chapter Temari and Kankuro have a private conversation. I will try to update soon. Thanks everyone.