A/N First of all I apologise deeply for this being so so so late but I have had personal problems these past few months. As many of you know I was living with my boyfriend and my young son, well that relationship ended and with being a newly single mother the last thing I wanted to do was write about romance. But things are looking up and I do hope you forgive me for being so late.

P.S I read all the comments I received during the hiatus and thank you so much for your support, I do appreciate it.

XXX

'I don't want to do this.' Gaara complained looking down at the blank piece of paper lying in front of him.

'Oh come on!' Matsuri begged setting a pen down in front of the redhead, 'It's just a draft.' Gaara rolled his eyes.

'Fine..' He surrendered, Matsuri smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek and left the room muttering something about her draft as she left.

Gaara glared down at the blank page like it had just insulted him. Wedding vows, what a ridiculous tradition, what in the world was he meant to say? That he was forced into this marriage to save the family business and even though he tried and tried he couldn't fall in love with this woman.

Gaara exhaled and grabbed the pen, he wrote a 'fuck this' on the page and leaped up from his desk chair. He grabbed his coat which was clinging to the side of the bed and hastily put it on before grabbing the door and jerking it open.

He froze for a second, upon opening the door he was brought face to face with Naruto.

'What do you want?' Gaara snapped venom dripping from his words but he found himself letting the blonde inside the house regardless.

'Forgiveness.' Naruto stated looking at Gaara who glared back at the blonde in return.

'You sleep with Ino and you want my forgiveness?' Gaara spat not believing the words coming out of Naruto's mouth. Naruto laughed half nervously and half with real humour, the redhead resisted the urge to punch him in the face.

'We didn't sleep together.' Naruto smiled, 'We kissed-' Naruto stepped back as Gaara made a sudden move towards him;

'We kissed but it didn't feel right.' Naruto finished. Gaara glared at the blonde for a minute before sighing,

'I hate you.' He declared, but let his glare falter soon after.

Naruto grabbed Gaara and pulled the redhead into what can only be described as a passionate embrace.

'Uh,' Gaara said after a few minutes, 'Can you let go?'

Naruto let him go, beaming at the redhead, Gaara smiled back, feeling happier than he had done in days.

It was nice to have his friend back, it felt normal.

'So what have you been doing?' Naruto asked taking in Gaara's tired expression. Gaara lifted his notebook and threw it onto the blonde's lap, Naruto looked at the page.

'If this is a suicide note, it's very concise.' Naruto joked causing Gaara to smirk.

'It's my wedding vows actually.' he replied throwing himself down on the sofa beside Naruto and turning on the TV.

'Very concise.' Naruto smirked. 'Wow wedding vows already huh?' He added frowning, things between the couple were going at warp speed.

'Yeah, she's crazy.' Gaara sighed, ignoring the fact that his fiancée was a raving lunatic for the time being.

'Most girls are.' Naruto agreed. 'Speaking of girls...'

'No. Not talking about it.' Gaara replied, his tone sharp.

'Fine.' Naruto surrendered, 'We won't talk about it.'

'Fine.'

Naruto leaped up from his seated position on the sofa and sat on top of Gaara,

'What are you doing?!' Gaara exclaimed, wishing that this kind of situation wasn't a daily one, but unfortunately with Naruto as a best friend, it usually was.

'You know I was talking to it this morning, she's hurting at the moment.' Naruto said softly.

'Yeah too much dick will do that to a girl.' Gaara retorted, Naruto fought the urge to bang his head off the wall in frustration.

'Will you stop!' He urged, 'You know Ino isn't like that.' Naruto defended.

'Ino is no longer my friend, nor my problem.' Gaara drawled not taking his eyes off the cooking show that he was watching.

'Fine. Well don't come crying to me when you meet her new boyfriend.' Naruto replied, Gaara fell silent for a few minutes.

'You said she was hurting.' Gaara accused.

'Yeah.' Naruto replied, 'For your friendship not about you as a boyfriend.' Gaara fell silent again.

'What's this guy like then?' Gaara asked his voice slightly higher than he wished it was, he was trying to sound as disinterested about this new revelation as possible, but failing, miserably.

'I was just kidding, there is no boyfriend.' Naruto laughed, Gaara pushed Naruto off his lap and ontp the ground with a loud thud.

'Dick.' Gaara muttered.

XXX

Two weeks passed and suddenly it was December and Ino could feel the chill in the air. The past few weeks were uneventful, Gaara treated Ino with hostility and indifference most of the time, and Ino didn't know how to tell him about her feelings.

Ino grabbed her scarf and coat and headed out the door just as the snow was beginning to fall.

Oh great she thought I don't have a hat.

Ino looked up and saw a flash of red through the flakes of snow.

'Gaara!' Ino called, the redhead turned around and upon seeing it was her, turned around again, but stopped walking.

'Ino.' He said as the blonde caught up to him.

'Wow, that's the first greeting you have given me without the double negative.' Ino said rubbing her shoulders as it was getting colder.

'Yeah it's great huh?' Gaara said sarcastically, although without the hostile tone.

'I thought we were going to try the whole friendship thing?' Ino asked, not looking at the redhead but looking ahead.

'I thought so too, but then you and Naruto lied about being in a relationship.' Gaara replied, taking a quick glance at the blonde beside him.

'I did that for Matsuri. For her to not get suspicious.' Ino defended.

'Well no need now, I told you I'm happy with Matsuri.' Gaara said. Suddenly Ino stood in front of him, blocking his path.

'Move.' He commanded, Ino simply shook her head.

'Nope.' She said stubbornly. Gaara sighed and dropped his backpack, he lifted Ino with both hands and lifted her up on this shoulder, he then grabbed his pack and continued walking.

'H-Hey!' Ino stuttered blushing, 'Let me go!'

'Nope.' Gaara said and continued walking to school with Ino complaining the whole way.

Upon reaching the doors Gaara dropped Ino not too lightly on the ground.

'Ouch.' Ino complained rubbing her behind, 'You didn't have to be so rough you know.'

'I thought you like it rough.' Gaara replied.

'Shut up.' Ino murmured turning red.

Before Gaara knew it something blonde had knocked him to the ground, he looked up to see Naruto sitting on top of him, beaming like an idiot.

'Get off me!' Gaara snapped looking annoyed.

'But I missed you' Naruto pouted, he then grinned and pulled Gaara into a kiss. The redhead brought his hands up to Naruto's shoulders and shoved the hyper blonde off him.

'Do you have to do that?' Gaara snapped while Naruto rubbed the back of his head and grinned.

'Um can we go now?' Ino asked giggling. Naruto turned around at the sound of her voice.

'Ino!' Naruto exclaimed pulling her into a hug, 'Have you been here all along?' He asked.

'Yes.' Ino smiled, 'but you were a bit distracted.'

'Can we go in now!' Gaara snapped and turned around storming into school, the two blondes smiled at each other and followed the redhead.

'Tomorrow is the talent show.' Gaara muttered more to himself than to the others as he looked at the giant banner hanging in the entrance.

'Yes!' Naruto exclaimed peering over Gaara's shoulder, 'I can't wait!'

'I'm sure it will be a lot of fun.' Ino said peering over Gaara's other shoulder.

'Gaara's eye twitched as his two companions began chatting away over his shoulder.

'Give me space you two!' Gaara snapped pushing the blonde's away from his personal bubble and storming off, again.

'Pushy isn't he?' Ino drawled while Naruto grinned.

'Are you two coming or not! They heard the redhead shout.

XXX

'So what would you like for lunch?' Matsuri asked, 'I'm thinking just sandwiches, you seem to have gone off fast food, although I don't blame you all that fast food is bad for you, anyway I digress, sandwiches okay?'

Gaara nodded, barely taking in what the brunette had said,

'Sure.' he muttered.

'What would you like?' Matsuri asked with a tone.

'Whatever.' Gaara replied as uninterested as a person could get.

'Can I get more than one word out of you?' The brunette snapped, Gaara merely shrugged causing Matsuri to sigh and walk toward the door,

'This whole cold and distant act you have isn't fooling anyone Gaara. I know you care for me.' She said before walking out the door. Gaara shot a disbelieving look at her retreating back before slamming his head down on the table.

'You seem moody, and shall I dare say, a bit dramatic.' Gaara looked up to see Shikamaru standing above him, his arms full of folders.

'Maybe.' Gaara replied, 'What are you doing anyway?' he asked looking at the folders.

'Oh.' Shikamaru exclaimed grinning, 'Checking coursework.'

'It's a free period.'

'I know but... Want me to check yours?' Shikamaru asked, changing the subject.

'It's in my locker.' Gaara said

'Well lets go get it.'

Gaara agreed, it was better sitting in an empty classroom waiting for Matsuri to get back. He accepted the black haired boys hand up to his feet and they walked to the lockers. Upon rounding the corner they two saw Sasuke and Sakura standing at Ino's locker.

'Let's just leave it...' Shikamaru began but Gaara had already made a move towards them.

'Hey!' He shouted making Sakura jump, 'What are you doing?'

'I-It's none of your business!' Sakura exclaimed, her face beetroot red from being caught out.

'Ino's our friend it is our business.' Gaara growled, Sasuke turned to look at them, a smug expression on his face.

'As a matter of fact, we asked Ino to come and join us again.' The raven haired boy said calmly.

Shikamaru laughed and Gaara smirked,

'There's no way Ino would be friends with you again.' Shikamaru said still chuckling.

'Oh yeah?' Sasuke challenged raising his eyebrow, 'You know what this school is like more than anyone. We can offer her popularity, social status, the best college and job offers. What can you give her?'

'Happiness.' Gaara stated unblinking.

'Heh, that sounds like something a boyfriend would say.' Sakura stated grinning from ear to ear.

Gaara hymph'd and whispered something into Shikamaru's ear, the pair left, not bothering to get Gaara's folder .

'Well,' The pink haired girl began, 'What do you think?'

'Yeah, I think he does care for her.' Sasuke smirked, 'We should tell the brunette.'

'That was weird.' Shikamaru muttered thinking about Sasuke and Sakura.

'Yes it was.' Gaara agreed frowning.

'Should we tell Ino?' Shikamaru asked

'No' Gaara replied at once, 'We don't need to burden her.'

'I don't know, I mean Sasuke destroyed Ino's status and now he wants her back? What's his deal?'

Gaara remained silent, he had no idea what was going on but it made him uneasy.

'I want to know what the big interest in Ino is?' Shikamaru asked

'If you have to ask that question, then you clearly don't know Ino very well.' Gaara replied causing Shikamaru to smirk.

XXX

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter :) It feels good to be back and to be in a better place, bring on the GaaIno! x