Well, apparently kicking around ideas and bribing me with pretty pictures works. Woo. Who'da thunk it? Actually, it wasn't that difficult. I'm a BIG fangirl and therefore very susceptible to bribes. I'm so ashamed of myself…okay, not really. But I should be.
I think there might be one more chapter or so left in this one. And then it's on to the sequels and to finish up the Shika/Ino story. Y'know…one of these days I'm going to write and post something Naruto that's not in the FoD Universe. Just to prove to you all that I can. Really.
Oh yeah! And Aki drew me another gorgeous fanart! Go check it out on my bio page!
The plan had been that he would stay with them forever. The plan had been that, now found, he would never leave his loved one alone ever again. Of course, there is an old saying about Plans. In fact, if he listened close enough he could probably hear God laughing at him already. (Or that could just be the fanfic author)
The cabin had been home to three occupants instead of two for a little over a month. Slowly, Gaara was figuring out how he fit into the blondes' daily routine and life. The brat wasn't so much of a brat anymore. And if he really thought about it, which he tried very hard not to, he found she had already laughed her way into his heart somehow. Glaring matches weren't as common anymore, and she had taken to crawling up on his lap or shoulders as often as she did to Naruto. Personal space issues aside, and Desert Sun had he freaked out the first time she'd crawled up on his lap, it really wasn't that bad.
He had flashbacks to his own horrific childhood and decided that no child should ever have to go through something like what he had been through. That decided; Kizuko discovered to her utmost delight that she now had not only one, but two living playthings that would do almost whatever she asked of them. Much to the redhead's horror and Naruto's immense amusement.
Ah, Naruto. Now there was a completely different source of frustration.
The blonde was still feeling a little skittish about bedroom activities, but that was okay. The Sand nin could wait. He was a patient person. Really. Besides, the make-out sessions almost made up for it. Almost. But not scaring Naruto meant more to him than…twitch…sex did. So they were taking it slow. And he was internally bitching about it every step of the way.
Yes, things were as quiet as could be expected and Gaara found himself fitting into the Uzumakis life quite comfortably.
And then one day, they all just happened to be in the forest when it happened.
Naruto had been leaning against the trunk of an aged pine, watching his daughter happily romp with the fox kits that lived near the cabin. Out of seemingly nowhere there was a screech and then something flew down towards him. It pulled up into a graceful curve, but not before snatching a couple of strands of gleaming blonde in its talons.
"What the hell?!" The ex-leaf nin jumped back glaring as the something circled gracefully and then landed on a low hanging branch near Gaara. The redhead felt a heavy weight descend on him as he recognized the creature.
"It's a Sand Messenger Bird."
"That thing just dive bombed me!"
"It's a pigeon, Naruto."
"Yeah? Well, it's a vicious hair-stealing pigeon!"
The pigeon cooed smugly in the blonde's direction. Naruto glared at it, muttering something about roasted bird for dinner. Gaara rolled his eyes in a silent plea for strength and took the message from the bird's leg.
Unfurling the small scroll, and giving it a touch of chakra to decode, he began to read. The further he read, the darker his expression became. Sand began creeping out from around him until Naruto commanded his attention.
"Gaara! Stop that! You're scaring the kids!"
Well, really he was just scaring the fox kits who were hissing at the sand. Kizuko was actually crouched down near the closest tendril poking at it. The tendril seemed rather shocked by this particular treatment.
"Kitling! Don't poke at that, you don't know where it's been!"
Kizuko blinked big blue eyes at her Papa, shrugged and then went back to playing with the kits. Naruto sighed and then turned to the redhead. "Bad news?"
"They're calling me back for a mission."
"…oh."
A long moment of silence.
"Umm…well…I guess you have to go then."
The paler man nodded, still looking very pissy.
"When…are you leaving?"
"It's late, so I'll wait until morning."
Naruto inhaled deeply. "I…we'll miss you."
"I'm coming back. And it won't take me 4 years this time."
The blonde gave a small smile and reached out to shyly clasp the other's hand. "Yeah. Kitling, time to go!"
Leaving the kits to wrestle amongst themselves, the little blonde bounced her way over. She looked between her father and Gaara and frowned.
"What wrong?"
"I have to go back."
Blue eyes immediately went wide and her bottom lip began to tremble. Running forward, she wrapped her arms around the redhead's leg and looked up at him with Big Blue Eyes.
"Leave Kizuko and Papa?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I have to. My village called me back for a mission."
This, she clearly didn't understand. So he tried another tactic.
"I'll come back."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"No leave Papa and Kizuko alone again."
"I won't. We've all been alone too long."
He then let go of Naruto's hand just long enough to pick up Kizuko. And then, holding both of his kitsunes in one way or another, they walked home.
The sun sunk beneath the craggy mountains and the moon rose like a full, shining gem in the middle of sea of black velvet. The creatures of the forest cried out and moved in their nocturnal wanderings.
The cabin's occupants had all been quieter since the message arrived to separate them. Kizuko and Naruto both seem to touch or cling to the Sand nin more than usual, as if they were trying to memorize his warmth and touch for fear of never seeing him again.
The little one was falling asleep as she stood, rubbing her eyes and denying every yawn that escaped her mouth. Scooping her up, Naruto brought her to the bedroom and unfolded the futon. Rubbing one blue eye with a tiny fist, she fought being put down.
"Nnnn…Want Gaara."
Naruto blinked at this and then smiled, understanding. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he set her on the futon and ducked out into the main room.
"You're being summoned."
"What?"
"She wants you to tuck her in."
"Oh no. I do not tuck in. I don't even know how to tuck some one in."
"Eh. You'll figure out easy enough. Besides, you've been drafted. Consider it a mission."
The Sand nin sighed as he walked into the bedroom and tried not to show any fear of the task that awaited him. Kizuko sat on the futon smiling up sleepily at him. He stared at the little girl as if she were some utterly foreign object. She blinked expectantly at him. The staring continued.
Naruto snickered and decided to finally take pity on the poor man. Picking up a slightly worn hairbrush, he placed it in Gaara's hand. Gaara looked at the object, confused.
"Here. Undo her hair and brush out the tangles, and then just make sure she goes to sleep."
Seeing that the older blonde was now searching the closet for something and ignoring him, the redhead walked slowly towards the little one on the futon. Sitting next to her, he looked from the hairbrush to the pigtails and back a couple of times.
Sensing his confusion, Kizuko repositioned herself in front of him and began tugging at her hair-bands. Larger hands covered her small ones, helping to untangle the blonde locks from the elastic holders. Eventually the bands came free and the soft bristles of the brush began to slide through her hair.
"Kizuko likes."
"Huh?"
"Papa pulls sometimes, but Gaara doesn't. Brush Kizuko's hair again when come back, kay?"
"Okay."
He continued the motions until he realized the little one was asleep in front of him. Setting the brush aside, he gentle repositioned her on the futon and pulled the covers up over her. Turning to a leave, a small voice called him back.
"Kiss."
"What?"
"Goodnight kiss."
Sleepily, she tugged on his arm. Very confused, the redhead leaned down and was then rewarded with a soft kiss on the cheek. He blinked.
" Night…" she yawned and then rolled over, snuggling in the blankets.
Still a little stunned, Gaara left the darkened room and quietly closed the door behind him. Placing a hand up to cheek that just been kissed, he mused idly. Yes, there were indeed many, many different types of kisses. And he was finding that he liked every one he received thus far.
Speaking of kisses…where had Naruto gotten off to? Scanning the main room, the blonde was no where in sight. Which left…the other room. Walking the few steps to the left, he pulled open the door and stopped short at the sight.
Moonlight poured into the small room through the window and was augmented by a small paper lantern that gave off warm light from the corner of the room. There in the pool of moonlight under the window, on a makeshift bed of a travel bedroll, blankets and pillows that was more of a nest than a bed, sat Naruto. The moonlight dulled his bright hair to pale gold as it hung free from its normal bindings. He sat on the blankets shirtless and the moonlight kissed his skin to bronze.
With a grin, he motioned the stunned Sand nin forward and Gaara found his feet moving of their own accord. As he approached, the blonde stood and leaned forward to capture his lips. The kiss deepened and the redhead felt himself being turned and pushed down to the blankets.
Breaking the kiss, Naruto smiled softly and then sat on Gaara's lap, facing the other man and wrapping his legs around the redhead's waist. He then leaned forward, wrapping tan arms around the other's neck and kissing him deeply.
Gaara wasn't exactly sure what had brought about this change, but at the moment he had a half naked, wiggling, moaning Naruto in his lap, kissing him quite thoroughly. Him? Complain? Nope, must be thinking of the other psycho Tanuki boy.
What's that, Children? You say you want the rest of the story? Well, yes, as a matter of fact Naruto and Gaara do get together and do all sorts of nice citrusy things to each other. However, Auntie Cneko can't post that here, so you'll have to check out her LJ (link's on the bio page under 'homepage') to find out what happens!
And please let her know what you think. She's not so good at writing smut.
