Lily: Oy, i'm back... sort of... well, Neji and Sasuke are a little OOC in this chapter but i don't care.

Can't you see them?
Chapter Seven
Forget if you want to

Gaara had decided that Naruto was sufficiently awake and dumped the other boy off his back, pulling the gourd back around from his stomach. Naruto grumbled for a little bit, but soon relented and went to help Gaara find the waterfall.

Even though they wouldn't admit it, both boys had enjoyed the ride. Gaara actually found himself liking this new type of human contact. Naruto liked the feel of Gaara's body, although he would die before saying so, and the warmth that it generated, even in the middle of summer.

They located the waterfall and began to look for how to get in to the alleged cave. They had yet to find a way, there was no obvious entrance anywhere that they could see.

The assignment did say something about the cave being behind the waterfall... said Naruto, thinking hard. Gaara joined him in thought for a moment, before grabbing Naruto's wrist and pulling him upright.
Hey! Gaara, what are you-
Naruto didn't have a chance to finish as Gaara pulled him through the front of the waterfall. Naruto clamped his mouth shut and thought of all the things that he was going to do to Gaara if they didn't drown.

Naruto was so shocked when his feet hit solid, only mildly damp ground, that he slipped and fell forwards, into Gaara. At that moment, Gaara had turned around to tell Naruto to open his eyes, the combination of Naruto's trip and Gaara's turn caused them to fall directly into each other, face first. Their lips were briefly crushed together. One couldn't really call it a kiss, because neither were reacting to it, if it were like anything it was rather like a practice kiss, the kind you do on your pillow when you've never had a real one before.

Naruto leapt back with a yelp, blushing furiously. Gaara sat on the slightly damp ground, his usual blank expression in position. He sat, staring unblinkingly at Naruto, who was getting even more nervous. He hastily waved a hand at Gaara.
Ah... ah... it was an accident! Don't... don't take it wrong or anything...
What do you mean? said Gaara calmly, You fell on me, that's all.
But... but... it's where I fell.
You didn't mean to fall with your mouth on my mouth.
Well, people will take it wrong...
You don't have to tell them.
... what?
Don't tell them. We can forget if you want to.
I... I...
I said
Naruto blinked, not understanding Gaara's implication.
Um... oh, hey, we're in the cave, aren't we? said Naruto, suddenly changing the subject.
Yes, I guess so.

The two stared around at their surroundings. On the one side their were great sheets of water pouring down. The other three sides were enclosed with rock, making a small alcove. They sat for awhile, just staring around. Gaara stood up and tried to brush some water off his pants.
Come on. Let's start heading back.
He began to walk towards the waterfall, but Naruto grabbed his wrist and pulled him down.
Nah, stay awhile, Gaara. It's nice here.
Naruto rested an elbow on Gaara's shoulder and leaned his head to the side. Gaara took the opportunity to slip his arm around Naruto's waist, barely touching the skin so that the other boy wouldn't notice. Gaara unconsciously twitched when Naruto slumped completely against him, head lolling against his shoulder. Gaara put his fingers on Naruto's chin and tilted his head up. He sighed. The stupid kid had fallen asleep on him again. He must be really tired, thought Gaara, did he stay up all night after I left? I wonder why...

He gently pulled Naruto onto his back, looping his arms around the Kyuubi's thighs. He seemed to be doing this a lot lately... not that he minded. Gaara's lips twitched in what might have been a smile.


Sasuke rested his head against a cool boulder that was on the side of the pond. It was hot and Sakura hadn't come back out yet. Sasuke whipped his head up when he felt someone else enter the garden. Neji stood in a tree, watching Sasuke with blank, pupil-less eyes. Sasuke suppressed a shiver, there was something about his eyes... they were like a negative of his own bottomless black ones.

Neji hopped down from the tree, coming to stand in front of Sasuke. He looked down, mirroring Sasuke's smirk with his own.

Uchiha Sasuke, I would like to challenge you.
I accept, Hyuga Neji.

The two leapt back, taking defensive stances.

Why are you here? Sasuke asked, trying not to let his apprehension show. For some reason, the idea of Neji following him sent shivers down his spine. And he rather liked the way the shivers felt...

Neji, too, tried to conceal his apprehension. Had Sasuke known that he'd been following him, sealing his chakra so that he wouldn't know? Neji let his face slide into a smirk. Lee's in my team. Remember? I'm here to train.

Oh, yeah...

shouted Neji suddenly. The veins rippled under his skin, standing out as they dipped under his flesh and into his chalk white eyes. Ok, have to admit, that is cool looking, thought Sasuke, what? No! No! I meant to say that he was cutting to the chase, using that move. Never mind...

Sasuke shook his head, clearing it of the confusing thoughts. He blinked and his eyes turned to crimson.


Neji smirked again. God, Sasuke looked cool when he did that. Yes, indeed, he did.
64 points! cried Neji, copies appearing beside him.
2 points!
Sasuke sneered.
4 points!
What was the point of this?
8 points!
With his Sharingan he could see...
16 points!
... and dodge...
32 points!
... every move!

Sasuke had been so focused on the copies in front of him that he had failed to see or feel the real Neji sneaking up behind him. Neji grabbed the Sharingan user's shoulders, spun him around and shoved him hard into the ground.

Sasuke gasped as the air was forced out of his lungs. He blinked, the crimson sliding from his eyes. Neji was crouching over him, almost nose to nose.
Why is it, breathed Neji, that the great Uchiha Sasuke of the Sharingan eyes, can see every move coming at his face, but can't sense me behind him, or see that I'm after him while he pants over some little blonde boy?

Sasuke blinked and opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted when Neji put his open mouth over Sasuke's. Sasuke's first reaction was to knee Neji in the groin, punch him in the stomach and run. But something more instinctive and primal told him to stay and fight back, win this kiss, dammit! Sasuke moaned and ran his tongue across Neji's lower lip.

Neji broke off, surprised at Sasuke's reaction. He had expected severe pain at this point, not this... Neji looked at Sasuke, who was smirking in the most delicious manner.
the black haired boy fairly growled, You think I'm going to let you win? Think again, Hyuga.
Sasuke grabbed the straps that hung from Neji's head band and pulled him down for another kiss.

Sakura and Lee blinked slightly and blushed.
How... how about we go back inside... trailed Lee.
... yeah... mumbled Sakura.


Gaara shook Naruto's shoulder. He didn't wake. Gaara shook him harder and whispered his name. He didn't wake. Gaara shook him a bit more and said his name in a normal tone. He didn't wake. Gaara really shook him and yelled his name. He woke.
Gah! Gaara, there's no reason to yell at me like that!
You wouldn't wake up.
Feh, not my fault.
Whatever. We're at your house.
You brought me back?
Yes. I told Kakashi that we had found the cave. He suggested that I take you home.
For some reason, the fact that Kakashi told Gaara to take him home seemed to change the action. It didn't seem as... sweet anymore.
Thank you! continued Naruto, hugging Gaara around the middle, wanting to feel his comforting warmth again.

Gaara blushed.

That stupid Kyuubi. Why was Naruto hugging him? All he had done was bring him home. He wished Naruto would stop hugging him. It was making him feel strange. Those butterflies in his stomach had increased and it was accompanied by some strange pang of... sadness? What was this? Some sort of jutsu? Why did he feel like this?

Gaara looked down into Naruto's fake-smiling, whiskered face. Ahh... this feeling when I look at him... Gaara was so entranced in watching the boy that he didn't notice that he was leaning closer and closer and closer until Naruto's soft, spiky bangs brushed his forehead.



Gaara leaned even closer, their skin was brushing together, now. Gaara was too close now. He couldn't stop it. Couldn't stop what came next.

In a way, it was like the accidental kiss they had shared at the waterfall, quick, clumsy and inexperienced, but in a way it wasn't.

It was different because Gaara had wanted this, he had started this, he had consciously pressed his pale lips against Naruto's soft mouth, had wanted to feel this sweet torture, knowing that this might be the only time he could do this.

It was different because something in Naruto responded to Gaara's touch. Something inside the other boy knew that this is what he wanted, to be held, to be kept safe, to finally lay down his mask and be... loved?

Naruto suddenly pulled back, although part of him was screaming to stay pressed against Gaara's lips.

he whispered.
Gaara said it as a simple statement.
Do you... do you... Naruto took a deep breath, Do you love me?
Gaara solemnly looked at the smaller boy.
All my senses tell me something like that, so, yes, I do love you.

Naruto hissed involuntarily. He said it. He told you he loved you. This is what you wanted. I wanted this? Naruto's eyes widened. Naruto shoved Gaara away and leapt into his window, slamming it shut after him.



Lily: ohhh yes. i am truly evil. i don't update until you review!!
Phantom: ugh homework.
Fly-Girl: ugh. portfolio class overload.