I do not own Naruto; I don't earn money to write this story. Masashi Kishimoto created Naruto.

It's been a while. I know. I did something stupid once again. I didn't back up my stories. I had them all saved on a flash drive…well…being the clumsy person I am I dropped my laptop and the flash drive snapped apart. Thankfully the laptop was not damaged and I easily removed the metal thing from the USB port. But I don't have access to any of my saved data now. It wasn't a huge loss but I had this chapter over half-finished and I just got so disgusted with myself that I couldn't rewrite it. I am now and I hope it turns out ok.

Punishment Jutsu: A Heart Held Hostage

Chapter 21: Foiling Evil Perverts, An Uchiha's Personal Mission

Naruto giggled and trotted off toward the ice cream vendor. Tatsuya nearly go a nose bleed watching that fine ass bouncing as the blonde boy ran ahead. He felt the glare the Uchiha was giving off. He smirked, "You know, Uchiha, Naruto doesn't need to settle for some moody brat. I'm sure he would like a real man to fill the role of lover…emphasis on the filling."

Sasuke growled. If he weren't so incredibly angry at this guy he'd have scoffed. "One warning," Sasuke muttered, "You back off of Naruto. If I suspect you of even looking cross ways at him you'll regret it."

"Says the half pint who probably hasn't even gotten laid yet," The older teen snickered at his joke and sped up. Sasuke glared. This guy was going to pay. He ran up and tackled the taller boy.

Naruto was drooling over the ice cream. The vendor looked irritated at him. Naruto looked like a starved dog set before a juicy rare T-bone and told not to touch. He practically whimpered as he watched the man serving his customers.

Naruto heard an angry shout and turned to see his boyfriend beating up his new acquaintance. Naruto yelped loudly and dashed toward the fight. He threw himself between the boys looking to Sasuke like he was going to scold him.

"What the hell is going on here? What do you think you're doing Sasuke?" Naruto turned to fully face his boyfriend. Sasuke's jaw dropped as he was being scolded by Naruto. Naruto waved his finger at him as if he were a small child. Tatsuya smirked at Sasuke from behind Naruto who seemed to be protecting him. It didn't matter that his nose was bleeding or that he had a black eye he had the blonde on his side and it was just that easy.

Sasuke lunged past Naruto but he had forgotten just how deceptive the blonde's appearance was. Naruto grabbed him and flipped him. Sasuke hit the ground with a loud smack. Naruto pinned him there and apologized to Tatsuya, "I'm sorry. I guess that ice cream will have to wait." He offered a smile to the older teen and waved. Tatsuya left reluctantly.

Naruto got off of Sasuke. Sasuke was not happy in the least, but neither was Naruto.

"What were you thinking?" Naruto shouted at the raven headed boy as he was dusting himself off violently. Sasuke looked up from his wrinkled and dirty clothing giving a hard glare.

"I was thinking," Sasuke shouted back, "That some guy was planning to molest my boyfriend."

"Tatsuya?" Naruto scoffed, "Seriously? You need to get over the jealousy Sasuke, or don't you trust me?"

Sasuke didn't answer quickly enough for Naruto. He just glared past Naruto toward the man who wanted to take away his Naruto. The things Sasuke truly cared about always got taken away. He didn't want to admit that he was terrified that Naruto would leave him for someone better.

"Fine," Naruto grumbled, "You don't want to talk…I-I guess it's true. Well you don't need to worry about me." Naruto felt hurt by Sasuke's failure to answer assuming that the boy really didn't trust him. Naruto sighed and turned away from the fuming Uchiha. "I'm leaving," Naruto's voice trembled and he walked off. Sasuke moved to stop him but his voice was blocked by the lump in his throat.

"Wait," He choked out once Naruto was too far to hear him. It didn't matter Naruto probably wouldn't have stopped if he had heard Sasuke. Sasuke knew he had messed up. He walked home dejectedly.

Naruto pouted he had intentionally walked slowly to give Sasuke a chance to call after him. He waited for Sasuke to come running and apologize, or at the very least explain himself for his rude behavior. Finally he turned only to find the Uchiha had left. Naruto sniffed back tears as he shuffled aimlessly through the park. How his high hopes for the day had fallen so. He was so preoccupied he failed to see the person in front of him until it was too late.

How he had missed the stalk of blood red hair was beyond him but he bumped into the back of the boy who had been standing in the path. The redhead stayed rigid and didn't move but Naruto noticed a crawling sensation on his skin. It was a raspy feeling. He ignored it in favor of apologizing to the other boy. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't see you," Naruto began to pick himself up.

The other boy grunted, "Hn." It was a very good impression of Sasuke actually. Naruto might have laughed were he not still angry with the boy.

Then the boy turned and regarded him with intense green eyes, really they were almost turquois. The boy's face was stony and hard as he glared at the blonde.

"Hi," Naruto smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, 'I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Like I said I'm sorry about bumping into you. Naruto studied the boy's face. He had very pale skin and dark rimmed eyes that reminded Naruto of a raccoon. He also had a weird tattoo on his forehead it was the kanji symbol for love in red ink.

Naruto had his hand held out in a gesture of friendship. The boy looked from Naruto's friendly smile to his hand and back to his face. Naruto dropped his hand to his side feeling foolish.

"Um," Naruto continued to talk, "What's your name? I've never seen you here before…Hey! Are you here for the chuunin exams?"

The boy nodded. He didn't know what to think of this strange person who wasn't at all frightened of him. He wasn't known in Konohagakure but most people still sensed just how dangerous he was without having privy to his background.

Naruto just smiled like a good natured idiot and continued to jabber at his new acquaintance forgetting for just a bit that he was angry with Sasuke.

"So," Naruto paused to catch his breath, "You're from another village?"

The red head nodded. He had no idea why but he felt almost comfortable around this boy.

"Where's your Hitai-ite?" Naruto asked pouting a bit. He pointed it out hanging from his belt. Naruto bent down to get a closer look. The redhead tensed at the other boy's closeness. Naruto leaned back not noticing this. He continued to ask questions, "So what village are you from?"

"Sunagakure," The boy finally spoke. His voice was husky from disuse.

"Cool!" Naruto cheered, "I've never been there…is it nice? I'm sure it's great there. Konoha is fine. I love it here but sometimes I wish I could see more of other places. The redhead suddenly felt resentment building toward this happy boy. He decided to leave but Naruto's next words stopped him.

"Wow you're even more quiet than Sasuke-bastard," Naruto frowned as he reminded himself of said bastard.

The boy studied Naruto more closely, "What did you just say?"

"Oh…nothing," Naruto blushed, "I didn't mean to offend you it's just you remind me a bit of Sasuke. He's a total bastard." Naruto blushed even darker, "Not to say you are…I'm just mad at him right now. …S-sorry." Naruto frowned and began to leave, "Good bye…um…I never did get your name."

"Subaku Gaara," The boy answered then turned his back to Naruto.

"Okay," Naruto smiled unsurely and left, "Good-bye Subaku Gaara. It was nice to meet you."

Gaara frowned. Something felt wrong. He didn't understand it at all but he knew two things now and at least one of them was imperative. This Naruto had information he needed, and also he made Gaara's pulse rate increase inexplicably.

…Ok I'm leaving off there for now. I just can't write anymore tonight. Promise to post again sometime this week.