A/N: I think I've said enough that I don't own these characters. And I've been sick again. Sorry! But here's another chapter. Citrusy, so, um, yeah. You've been warned.
"I don't wanna die!" Kiba wailed.
"Shut up, Kiba!" Naruto snapped. "I can't deal with you right now. Gaara. Hey, Gaara, where're you going? Gaara!" He leaped to his feet to run after his snarling boyfriend.
Gaara slapped away Naruto's hand when it landed on his shoulder. "Are you happy now? You know all my secrets. I have no reason to stay. You have no reason to keep me around."
"Gaara," Naruto whined, "we have to talk about this. I was trying to help you!" He looked away and muttered, "I found the bottle."
"What bot- Oh. Oh. Shit." Gaara's hands flew to his head and he dug his fingers into his scalp, grabbing great handfuls of hair.
"Well, that settles it," Sakura stated, getting to her feet. "If he leaves, the rest of us should be fine, right?" She rubbed her sore arm and glared in the red head's direction. She scoffed at his display of anguish, but felt herself shrivel a bit underneath Naruto's fiery gaze. She stood straighter and declared, "Well, it's true! These Akatsuki people weren't sniffing around until after he showed up."
"Even if Itachi being here means that Sasuke might show up?" Kiba spoke the words that everyone else was thinking.
"That - uh - that.. Leave Sasuke out of this!" Sakura screeched. "Just get that freak out of here!"
"Sakura!" Naruto roared and dashed toward the pink haired woman. Surprisingly, Lee cornered her first.
"You should watch your words, Sakura. They are hurtful and most unyouthful." Lee's voice was dangerously low; Sakura took a step backward when she noticed how serious he was. "I usually do not hit women, Sakura, but right this moment, you are forcing me to rethink that policy."
"Lee!" the woman cried. "Even you're against me? Why?"
"Gaara has done nothing to bring harm to any of us since he has been here. I vowed to Naruto that I would befriend the man, and I will keep my word. Right now, Gaara needs us and our help."
"I do not need your help," Gaara spat. "Where is my bag? I will take my leave."
"You can't go out like that, Gaara," Naruto argued with him. "You're covered in blood."
Green eyes narrowed sharply. He released his hair and lifted his gaze to the blond. "And is that the only reason I should not walk out of this house right now, Naruto?" he questioned his lover.
"Of course not! Look, you need a shower. I need a shower. We probably all need food, and then we need a plan." The blond stretched out a hand and sighed in relief when it was not smacked away. He placed his palm against Gaara's cheek, lightly caressing the other man's face. "And, obviously, you and I have some things that we need to discuss with each other."
"You're all a bunch of weirdos," Sakura interrupted. "I'm leaving," she declared. She stomped to the door and shoved her feet roughly into her shoes.
"I do not think that you need to be told not to speak of these events to anyone outside of this group or in public, correct, Ugly?" Sai questioned the woman. "Pain awaits betrayers, and pain is not always swift or physical."
"Is that a threat, Sai?" Sakura's voice shook as she stared at the pale man.
"More like a promise, I would think," he informed her with a smile. She paled and rushed to the door, flinging it open and fleeing the house.
Lee watched her departure silently before informing the group, "I will accompany her home. Please, call me when my assistance is needed. I will be more than happy to lend my youth and spirit to this mission!" Without waiting for confirmation, the green clad man rushed out of Kiba's home, closing the door softly behind him.
The four remaining men stood in silence. Kiba, never good with quiet, began to twitch and fidget after several seconds. "I need a fuckin' beer," he announced. "Anybody else?"
"I do not drink alcohol," Sai said.
"I need to show Gaara the shower and stuff," Naruto said. "Can we still stay here, or do you want us to leave?"
"What-fuckin-ever," Kiba muttered. "I'mma need a lotta damn beer tonight." He wandered in the direction of his kitchen, grumbling to himself.
"That went well," Naruto chirped. "Um, we'll be back, Sai." The pale man nodded and settled back down onto the floor. He reached in the bag he had brought with him, and retrieved a thick book. Flipping it open to the marked page, he removed the tasseled place holder and began to read.
Naruto ran his thumb across his lover's lips and said, "Come on. I'll show you where we're sleeping tonight."
Gaara stood in the shower, watching the soapy, pink-tinged water swirl down the drain. He raked his fingers through his hair, hoping that all of Deidara's blood had been washed out of his tresses. He winced at the sting the body wash produced on his cuts, and almost whimpered as the harsh spray hit his sore muscles. He had felt worse in the past, but those events felt so distant from his current life. He knew that he should not have gotten so comfortable with Naruto. He knew, in his head, that nothing good could come from growing so attached to the blond, but it seemed that his heart and body had different plans.
Gaara wanted to be disappointed. He wanted to feel justifiably angry and reassured in his conviction that he could love and trust no one, but the feelings would not come. He could only feel two things: startled that he had been found so quickly, and convinced that Naruto did indeed care for him. Akatsuki had sent a team to retrieve him, the demon of the underground ring, and Naruto, his boyfriend, could only hold him tight and whisper that he loved him.
"He doesn't love yo-"
"Fuck off!" Gaara smashed his head against the shower wall to silence the voice, and cringed at the pain. He raised a shaking hand to touch the already forming bruise. His eyes widened at the discovery.
"It hurt," he rasped. "That has never hurt before."
"Gaara!" Naruto called from just outside the bathroom. "Are you okay in there? I heard a noise."
"I dropped the soap," Gaara spoke above the water."
"What?" Naruto asked.
"I'm fine, Naruto."
Naruto answered by opening the door. "I can't hear a thing over that shower! Man, that's some high pressure Kiba's got in here," the blond observed. "Are you okay in here?"
"I'm fine, Naruto," Gaara repeated.
"You need any help? I can wish your back, if you like."
Gaara's brain intended to answer that he was capable of cleaning his own back, but his lips moved on their own and said, "Come join me, Naruto." His body also betrayed him; his arm opened the shower curtain invitingly and his hand beckoned to the blond.
Naruto closed - and locked - the bathroom door. He quickly stripped off his sweatpants and t-shirt - clean, because he had showered first - and stepped into the cramped bathtub, nudging his boyfriend from under the spray. He pressed Gaara against the wall, and ran his hands down the man's water-slicked chest and abdomen. Not to be outdone, Gaara fisted his hands in Naruto's hair and pulled the blond roughly to him, seeking his lips.
"Thought I was supposed to wash your back," Naruto whispered into his lover's mouth.
"Shut up," Gaara commanded.
"Should we be doing this right now?" Naruto asked, teasing Gaara's lips with his tongue.
"You're right," Gaara admitted, pulling away. "The water is getting cold."
"That's not what I meant!" Naruto chuckled. He gave the red haired man a long, lingering kiss that left them both gasping for air. "Don't doubt me, Gaara. Please?" He pulled the other man into a hug, forcing Gaara's face to his.
"I don't want to," Gaara whispered into his ear. "Let's go talk." The men pulled apart reluctantly. Naruto spin the faucets, shutting off the water, and Gaara stepped out of the bathtub, looking around for a towel. His search was short-lived when a blue towel landed on his head.
"I should have known you'd forget to bring one in here. I got one for you," Naruto stated, shaking the water form his short hair.
"Thank you." Naruto waved off the words, and both men set to drying their bodies and dressing enough to leave the bathroom.
Once in the room they were assigned to, Naruto flopped down on the bed, and patted the space next to him. Suddenly apprehensive, Gaara slowly made his way over and sank down on the end of the large mattress.
Turning to Naruto, Gaara started with, "Shukaku-" only to be cut off.
"Do we have to do this now?" Naruto asked.
"You said we should talk," Gaara stated flatly. He was strangely disappointed that Naruto did not seem to want to hear his tale.
"You can't blame him," his father sneered. "Who wants to hear what you have to say?"
"Shut up," Gaara snarled through clenched teeth.
Naruto watched his lover warily. "Is it 'him' again?" He sighed when the red head nodded slowly. "Come here," he motioned to Gaara.
A slight frown marring his features, he scooted closer to his blond and relaxed against his side. His eyes widened then fluttered closed as he felt soft kisses along his jaw and neck.
"Naruto," he whispered.
"Maybe we should shut him up first," Naruto whispered between kisses. Gaara shuddered at the sensation of Naruto's soft lips and hot tongue against his flesh. He wiggled closer, eager to feel more of his blond's mouth. He gasped when he felt the world move, and was surprised to find himself straddling Naruto. He frowned a question at his lover, to which Naruto replied, "I'm still not sure what to do, exactly. Teach me?"
A shudder went through Gaara as he realized what Naruto was asking - no, not asking, offering. "Gods," he muttered, as lust fogged his brain. Hungrily, he delved into the blond's mouth, tasting and nibbling. He pulled away from Naruto's lips and attacked his jaw and neck, licking, leaving wet trails along his skin.
It wasn't enough.
As Naruto bucked beneath him, Gaara pulled at the blond's clothes, eager to free more flesh to explore. He felt the material shred under his fingertips and ignored it. His blond needed him, needed to feel him, skin against skin and Gaara hurried to oblige. He felt Naruto's hands reliving him of the burden of his clothing, helping along the process and growled every time they had to pull apart to remove another wretched piece of material.
At last, at last, they were freed. Tanned, tattooed flesh met creamy, scarred skin. Gaara eased his way between muscular thighs and ground their pelvises together. Both men gasped at the friction and recreated it, again and again.
"Naruto," Gaara rasped, pressing closely to his lover. He captured Naruto's lips and rolled his hips, earning a low moan from the blond. Naruto's fingertips traced the scars on Gaara's back, and his ankles were hooked on the back of Gaara's legs. Gaara ran a hand between them, feeling perfectly formed abs, ghosting across the strange, spiral-like design inked into Naruto's skin. He ran a finger down the side of Naruto's hard, straining flesh, and touched a finger to the blond's tight entrance.
Naruto hissed and moved away. "Sor-sorry," he moaned into Gaara's mouth. "I don't - I don't think-"
Gaara shushed him with kisses. "It's fine. We can wait for that," he promised, and rolled his hips again. Their erections slid together, eliciting a groan from the both of them.
"I need.."
"I know," Gaara said. He held his blond close and rocked against him. Naruto growled and pushed his hips up, bucking against the pressure that Gaara was giving him. A thin sheen of sweat covered him, and he pulled Gaara closer, panting.
"Oh, gods," Naruto wailed as he saw stars dance across his vision. Hot liquid ran between them as he shuddered. He feel back against the bed, limp and drained, and shuddered again as he heard Gaara release a harsh cry and felt the red head bite down on his shoulder. He hissed at the sharp pain, and tensed, but immediately relaxed as Gaara licked the wound he created. Naruto nuzzled his boyfriend's ear and offered an unseen smile which fell when he heard the curse from outside the door.
"FUCK!" Kiba yelled from the hallway. "Sai, they fucked in my HOUSE!"