Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me, just this fic. It is enough.
Naruto/Sasuke erm and well, a little bit of evil Gaara flirting if you must
know,
Yaoi
Rated: R
By: Sunstrike
Chapter Seven Absorbing The Demon
As Gaara stepped out into the cold sunshine he sighed softly and waited. A strong breeze was blowing from the direction of his home and he knew that winter was not long in coming. He was dressed warmly on the cold day, although this was more his sister's idea, he personally, wouldn't have been bothered. But he did swear to make a serious effort when it came to this whole family thing.
He sighed again, if only he had known earlier how troublesome this being a real brother thing was going to be. She had actually licked a handkerchief and wiped a smudge off of his face! He thought he would truly die of embarrassment then.
And the other day Kankuro had given him a kitten! His brother had said that the little red furball had kind of reminded him of Gaara, and that it had justified this by nearly taking his fingers off. The older boy would never have dreamed of doing something like that back in the old days, and Gaara was so shocked that he took the little thing, called it Jiai, (some habits just never die), and was managing not to kill it.
To say that it had taken to him was an understatement. Usually it stayed with him on his shoulder, but now had gone off to explore this new territory. Gaara smirked, and it was probably killing every mouse, bird, and occasional small child within a hundred yard radius. All of this was thanks to that strange, and surprised, person that just passed him.
He had been more taken aback at the haunted look in Naruto's eyes rather then actually bumping into him. Being in this village he was bound to see a few familiar people. Sasuke had even brought him in this morning, and that had been a serious test of restraint, although not for reasons many people may think.
Gaara found out a long time ago which sex he found most attractive, and Sasuke would have fit the bill nicely, if it weren't for the fact that the red headed boy had felt as though a sun god had passed him in the hallway just then. Admittedly, a slightly depressed one.
The lanky blond boy he had seen go into the antechambers of Hidden Leaf's hokage was a very different looking person to the young obnoxious person who had managed to triumph over him a few years back. He still got headaches when he reminisced about that day.
Even from just a small glance the he had been able to determine that something was slightly off with his old rival, if not exactly the cause.
Gaara snorted, he could probably guess though. Cold laughter echoed through a dark part of his mind, and Gaara cursed himself for letting his thoughts wander enough for the evil spirit to break free.
"Looks like you have a soul mate, Gaara."
The sand demon was pleased, the youth, however, was anything but amused at the play with words. Quietly he threw the demon back behind the walls and locks he had made long ago and leaned back against the wall. Hentai old bastard.
As much as he was loath to agree with anything the current guest in his mind had said he found himself pondering the words. He actually had just now found out that he had a lot more in common with the loud mouth then he really cared to admit, and it created odd feelings within him. Could he possibly imagine himself with Naruto as anything but a friend?
He chuckled, no, the boy was amusing, but not really what he would call someone that he could spend the rest of his life with.
Although, one night of passion? That was a surprisingly entertaining thought and if there was something that Gaara enjoyed the most it was to be entertained. Way back when he was still angry, people would be horrified the moment he let that word slip, but now, it meant that while the end result might still be terrifying, it was not usually lethal.
He began to conceive of a plan that could not only be a hell of a lot of fun, but also relieve a lot of stress that had been collecting over the past few years.
"You seem happy with yourself."
Gaara blinked and looked into two soft blue pools of light. Was it a trick of the gathering dusk and shadows, or was there a darker rim of purple forming around the iris?
"It's been an interesting morning." He managed to get around the lump that had formed in his throat. Damn, he was going to have to get some control back if this was going to work. "I see that you're still as intrusive as ever."
Naruto chuckled and leaned back stretching, out of Gaara's personal space, and then leaving his arms in a customary position behind his head. The boy settled into the trademark cockiness that sometimes set Gaara's teeth on edge. Right now it was having the complete opposite effect, and yet his jaw still ached. He had seen a lot of muscles under that black top and if there was any doubt in his mind whether or not he would carry through with what he wanted it was completely erased. Was it just him, or had the day gotten warmer?
Totally oblivious to the very evil boy seething in front of him, Naruto continued.
"I'm putting something off, and Kakashi's going to be mad at me, so could you please let me buy you a coffee or something? I really need to hide out for a while, and you can tell me what your doing here, what has happened since your last letter, and how your holding up."
The enthusiastic blond grabbed Gaara by the arm and started to drag him to an out of the way restaurant that he new on the far side of town.
"And I can tell you about my trip to the beach, and how Sasuke," And abruptly the blond stopped talking, looking a little morose, and Gaara ceased breathing. So, that was how it was. Interesting indeed. Another puzzle piece fell into his plan.
They kept walking and eventually Naruto started up talking again, but the sand boy wasn't listening. He was sorting through and finalizing the initial stages of what he wanted to do. It was cunning, it was evil, but overall, it was entertaining.
One night of passion indeed.
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Naruto could barely keep his excitement contained as he made his way through town with the silent person who, besides Sasuke, had been on his mind for the past month. All thoughts of his problems escaped for the moment, leaving him with a kind of peacefulness that he had ached for over the last few months. He couldn't believe that out of the blue Gaara would show up practically on his front doorstep and come to get coffee with him!
He had taken the time earlier to study the newly arrived person from afar, leaning just out of the doorway, watching the redheaded boy become lost in his own thoughts. Gaara was much taller now, somewhere in between Sasuke and Naruto himself. That wasn't surprising, Naruto was sure that everyone else was taking growth pills or something and he was being left out of the loop.
What was surprising was the customary gourd that hung on his back was missing. Could it be that Gaara was so skilled now that he didn't need it? The blond mentally shuddered at the sheer power that would require. He also noticed that where the angry red tattoo had once been was now covered up with a headband the same blood red as the sash that wound its way around the boy's body. He really was making the effort to change then.
Naruto was beyond happy to see this, almost as much as he was jealous. In Naruto's opinion the young boy that he knew had gone through far worse in his life then the blond himself, and yet with apparent ease Gaara could change all that and conquer the past as if it were nothing but dust. Admittedly the sand boy had a sister and a brother who, though scared out of their minds of him, cared about his welfare. And, truthfully, besides the letters, Naruto had no idea if there had been any regressions.
Seeing him again brought Naruto back to those days when he hadn't been afraid to get close to people, which explained why he hadn't minded leaning in towards the other boy, it had been practically absent minded.
He realized his mistake when he felt warmth rising from his toes all the way to his cheeks, luckily he managed to play it off and back out of the way, but he was still feeling slightly weak in the knees. He saw something in those dark eyes that he wasn't sure how to respond too. It wasn't like the hidden blushes and the downcast eyes that he was getting from everyone else, this was raw, open, and honest, something. Naruto began to become very confused. And the way that he dealt with it was the way that he always did, by ignoring it. Everything would sort itself out sooner or later, but in the meantime.
"Here we are!" He grinned as Gaara looked up and down at the building, seeing the coffee cup plaque on the door, and nodded. Naruto walked ahead and in through the door.
There was a musty smell inside that always made Naruto's nose itch slightly. Cigarettes, coffee, and chocolate, was what it all eventually managed to be. It was a very private and quiet place, not his customary place of comfort at all, and he knew that the others would never think to look there for him. This all gave him the hallowed privacy that he needed desperately to remain sane. It was also blessedly empty, except for the old matron who ran it, sitting behind the counter.
"Ah, my sunshine, how are you today?" Naruto grinned at the nickname. He always came here to hide out and had quickly come to appreciate the good black coffee, which was the only way he could drink that now. He made a small bow and said he was fine to the old lady, who chuckled.
"You shouldn't do such noble things as bowing to me, lad. You'll give an old woman strange thoughts of dignity in her old age. And I see you've brought a friend. Whoops, two friends!" Naruto blinked and looked down as something red flashed by his legs and leapt onto one of the soft squishy seats at the bar. It was a young cat the colour of deep blood. Gaara moved up next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry about that Naruto, madam, he's mine, and he should be outside." This was directed at the little thing, which was patiently ignoring every word and cleaning itself. Naruto was absolutely speechless. Well, almost.
"You have a cat?!" He didn't quite shout, remembering where he was, At least Gaara had the decency to look a little embarrassed.
"It followed my brother home and he gave it to me. I call it Jiai, because it likes older women and me, but most of all itself. I still don't know whether to be insulted or amused." The old woman laughed out loud.
"Well, as long as it's a paying customer, I don't mind if it stays, young racoon." With that, she got up and poured a bowel of milk and placed it in front of the kitten. Naruto winced at the nickname for Gaara, but he didn't seem offended, as if he was used to it. She gently placed the bowel down and began to pet and coo as it lapped up the contents. Seeing this, he just shrugged at his friend and dug out some money.
Naruto paid for two coffee's and the cat's drink. Then he slowly made his way to the corner nitch that he had claimed as his own. Naruto sat in the comfortable chair and stared as Gaara sat down opposite. Naruto was really glad that there was a table between the two of them. Abruptly Gaara began to speak.
"We're the same aren't we Naruto." Well, so much for small talk. Naruto was absolutely sure he knew what Gaara meant too. He didn't think that he could play off anything but the truth when such conviction was used in a single comment.
"Well not really, but in some respects, yeah, I guess so. What's your point?" Much to Naruto's relief the other boy sat back.
"Do you know what's been happening over in water country?" The blond boy shook his head. There was a silence as their coffee was placed on the table. Sometimes before the woman would sit down and talk to Naruto, but now it seemed she knew that a serious discussion was being carried out and slowly made her way back to the cat at the bar. The only other sound in the shop for a minute was the low rumbling of a deeply satisfied kitty.
"You understand what happened to me, and what happened to you, correct? Well, it seems that we're going to have someone else join our little freak show." Not the best choice of words, Naruto bristled at the word freak, that is, until the gravity of what Gaara had said sank in.
"You've got to be kidding me, another demon child?" Gaara shook his head.
"Not yet, but soon, maybe? The reports we've been getting are all very jumbled. It seems that a faction of Hidden Mist has had reports about you and I, and feel that our villages have a certain advantage over everyone else. Now the whole village is in an uproar at the proposition. Not to mention all the surrounding villages. This might have been settled if the group that proposed the idea had been a small faction that could be easily wiped out, but its seems as though half the town was involved. Certain important people are now missing, and," And Gaara took a deep breath. "One boy, our age, is gone."
Naruto reached a shaky hand for his cup. This was very bad, and very ironic. Why now, when he was having problems with his own demon, did someone else's problem have to intrude? Not only that, Naruto looked angrily at the boy across from him.
"Their idiots if they're thinking that someone our age will be able to control this, what kind of demon is it that they're proposing?" Gaara looked ready to spit, but just took a drink instead.
"Leviathan, of course." Naruto blinked as he felt something deep stir. It had felt like hatred. Had that caused some reaction within Kyubi? Interesting. What did he know about a leviathan?
"Ancient demon of water right? Looks like a big-," Naruto trailed off and they both stared at each other in horror, as thoughts became conclusions. Then Naruto laughed it off. "Nah that can't be it, they wouldn't show up or Sasuke would be foaming at the mouth now. And I'd be in some sack slung over a shoulder. Itachi and crew wouldn't do anything unless they thought they could get to me." Gaara looked thoughtful and then nodded.
"Even I have to admit that their obsession was very, focused." Naruto shuddered.
"It's because my control isn't what you would call absolute, they were attracted to the fact. It leaves opportunities, for lots of power, why are you grinning at me like that?"
Gaara blinked but didn't stop smiling; Naruto found it a little disconcerting.
"I think you've changed more then you like to think, Naruto. The person I met before would never have admitted to having a weakness." The blond boy laughed nervously. Had he really said that? He must be more tired then he thought. He had to be more careful or he would give the whole game away too soon. He still wasn't sure that Gaara wouldn't take an opportunity such as his loss of control and use it to his own ends. Four or five years can change a person, but not by much.
Suddenly something warm covered his hand and he looked down. Gaara had softly placed his own hand over Naruto's. He jerked his head up to see the same look in the boy's eyes that he had caught a glimpse of earlier. Gentle fingertips ran over the back of his hand, making soft circles and the eyes looked down in contemplation at them. Naruto was completely grounded, and was likewise worried that the heat surging in him would make him melt.
"Naruto, on a lighter note," Gaara looked back up, placing his elbow on the table and tilted his head so it was resting in his other hand. The other continued its hypnotic seduction of circles.
"Will you tell me about Sasuke-kun?"
Chapter Seven Absorbing The Demon
As Gaara stepped out into the cold sunshine he sighed softly and waited. A strong breeze was blowing from the direction of his home and he knew that winter was not long in coming. He was dressed warmly on the cold day, although this was more his sister's idea, he personally, wouldn't have been bothered. But he did swear to make a serious effort when it came to this whole family thing.
He sighed again, if only he had known earlier how troublesome this being a real brother thing was going to be. She had actually licked a handkerchief and wiped a smudge off of his face! He thought he would truly die of embarrassment then.
And the other day Kankuro had given him a kitten! His brother had said that the little red furball had kind of reminded him of Gaara, and that it had justified this by nearly taking his fingers off. The older boy would never have dreamed of doing something like that back in the old days, and Gaara was so shocked that he took the little thing, called it Jiai, (some habits just never die), and was managing not to kill it.
To say that it had taken to him was an understatement. Usually it stayed with him on his shoulder, but now had gone off to explore this new territory. Gaara smirked, and it was probably killing every mouse, bird, and occasional small child within a hundred yard radius. All of this was thanks to that strange, and surprised, person that just passed him.
He had been more taken aback at the haunted look in Naruto's eyes rather then actually bumping into him. Being in this village he was bound to see a few familiar people. Sasuke had even brought him in this morning, and that had been a serious test of restraint, although not for reasons many people may think.
Gaara found out a long time ago which sex he found most attractive, and Sasuke would have fit the bill nicely, if it weren't for the fact that the red headed boy had felt as though a sun god had passed him in the hallway just then. Admittedly, a slightly depressed one.
The lanky blond boy he had seen go into the antechambers of Hidden Leaf's hokage was a very different looking person to the young obnoxious person who had managed to triumph over him a few years back. He still got headaches when he reminisced about that day.
Even from just a small glance the he had been able to determine that something was slightly off with his old rival, if not exactly the cause.
Gaara snorted, he could probably guess though. Cold laughter echoed through a dark part of his mind, and Gaara cursed himself for letting his thoughts wander enough for the evil spirit to break free.
"Looks like you have a soul mate, Gaara."
The sand demon was pleased, the youth, however, was anything but amused at the play with words. Quietly he threw the demon back behind the walls and locks he had made long ago and leaned back against the wall. Hentai old bastard.
As much as he was loath to agree with anything the current guest in his mind had said he found himself pondering the words. He actually had just now found out that he had a lot more in common with the loud mouth then he really cared to admit, and it created odd feelings within him. Could he possibly imagine himself with Naruto as anything but a friend?
He chuckled, no, the boy was amusing, but not really what he would call someone that he could spend the rest of his life with.
Although, one night of passion? That was a surprisingly entertaining thought and if there was something that Gaara enjoyed the most it was to be entertained. Way back when he was still angry, people would be horrified the moment he let that word slip, but now, it meant that while the end result might still be terrifying, it was not usually lethal.
He began to conceive of a plan that could not only be a hell of a lot of fun, but also relieve a lot of stress that had been collecting over the past few years.
"You seem happy with yourself."
Gaara blinked and looked into two soft blue pools of light. Was it a trick of the gathering dusk and shadows, or was there a darker rim of purple forming around the iris?
"It's been an interesting morning." He managed to get around the lump that had formed in his throat. Damn, he was going to have to get some control back if this was going to work. "I see that you're still as intrusive as ever."
Naruto chuckled and leaned back stretching, out of Gaara's personal space, and then leaving his arms in a customary position behind his head. The boy settled into the trademark cockiness that sometimes set Gaara's teeth on edge. Right now it was having the complete opposite effect, and yet his jaw still ached. He had seen a lot of muscles under that black top and if there was any doubt in his mind whether or not he would carry through with what he wanted it was completely erased. Was it just him, or had the day gotten warmer?
Totally oblivious to the very evil boy seething in front of him, Naruto continued.
"I'm putting something off, and Kakashi's going to be mad at me, so could you please let me buy you a coffee or something? I really need to hide out for a while, and you can tell me what your doing here, what has happened since your last letter, and how your holding up."
The enthusiastic blond grabbed Gaara by the arm and started to drag him to an out of the way restaurant that he new on the far side of town.
"And I can tell you about my trip to the beach, and how Sasuke," And abruptly the blond stopped talking, looking a little morose, and Gaara ceased breathing. So, that was how it was. Interesting indeed. Another puzzle piece fell into his plan.
They kept walking and eventually Naruto started up talking again, but the sand boy wasn't listening. He was sorting through and finalizing the initial stages of what he wanted to do. It was cunning, it was evil, but overall, it was entertaining.
One night of passion indeed.
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Naruto could barely keep his excitement contained as he made his way through town with the silent person who, besides Sasuke, had been on his mind for the past month. All thoughts of his problems escaped for the moment, leaving him with a kind of peacefulness that he had ached for over the last few months. He couldn't believe that out of the blue Gaara would show up practically on his front doorstep and come to get coffee with him!
He had taken the time earlier to study the newly arrived person from afar, leaning just out of the doorway, watching the redheaded boy become lost in his own thoughts. Gaara was much taller now, somewhere in between Sasuke and Naruto himself. That wasn't surprising, Naruto was sure that everyone else was taking growth pills or something and he was being left out of the loop.
What was surprising was the customary gourd that hung on his back was missing. Could it be that Gaara was so skilled now that he didn't need it? The blond mentally shuddered at the sheer power that would require. He also noticed that where the angry red tattoo had once been was now covered up with a headband the same blood red as the sash that wound its way around the boy's body. He really was making the effort to change then.
Naruto was beyond happy to see this, almost as much as he was jealous. In Naruto's opinion the young boy that he knew had gone through far worse in his life then the blond himself, and yet with apparent ease Gaara could change all that and conquer the past as if it were nothing but dust. Admittedly the sand boy had a sister and a brother who, though scared out of their minds of him, cared about his welfare. And, truthfully, besides the letters, Naruto had no idea if there had been any regressions.
Seeing him again brought Naruto back to those days when he hadn't been afraid to get close to people, which explained why he hadn't minded leaning in towards the other boy, it had been practically absent minded.
He realized his mistake when he felt warmth rising from his toes all the way to his cheeks, luckily he managed to play it off and back out of the way, but he was still feeling slightly weak in the knees. He saw something in those dark eyes that he wasn't sure how to respond too. It wasn't like the hidden blushes and the downcast eyes that he was getting from everyone else, this was raw, open, and honest, something. Naruto began to become very confused. And the way that he dealt with it was the way that he always did, by ignoring it. Everything would sort itself out sooner or later, but in the meantime.
"Here we are!" He grinned as Gaara looked up and down at the building, seeing the coffee cup plaque on the door, and nodded. Naruto walked ahead and in through the door.
There was a musty smell inside that always made Naruto's nose itch slightly. Cigarettes, coffee, and chocolate, was what it all eventually managed to be. It was a very private and quiet place, not his customary place of comfort at all, and he knew that the others would never think to look there for him. This all gave him the hallowed privacy that he needed desperately to remain sane. It was also blessedly empty, except for the old matron who ran it, sitting behind the counter.
"Ah, my sunshine, how are you today?" Naruto grinned at the nickname. He always came here to hide out and had quickly come to appreciate the good black coffee, which was the only way he could drink that now. He made a small bow and said he was fine to the old lady, who chuckled.
"You shouldn't do such noble things as bowing to me, lad. You'll give an old woman strange thoughts of dignity in her old age. And I see you've brought a friend. Whoops, two friends!" Naruto blinked and looked down as something red flashed by his legs and leapt onto one of the soft squishy seats at the bar. It was a young cat the colour of deep blood. Gaara moved up next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Sorry about that Naruto, madam, he's mine, and he should be outside." This was directed at the little thing, which was patiently ignoring every word and cleaning itself. Naruto was absolutely speechless. Well, almost.
"You have a cat?!" He didn't quite shout, remembering where he was, At least Gaara had the decency to look a little embarrassed.
"It followed my brother home and he gave it to me. I call it Jiai, because it likes older women and me, but most of all itself. I still don't know whether to be insulted or amused." The old woman laughed out loud.
"Well, as long as it's a paying customer, I don't mind if it stays, young racoon." With that, she got up and poured a bowel of milk and placed it in front of the kitten. Naruto winced at the nickname for Gaara, but he didn't seem offended, as if he was used to it. She gently placed the bowel down and began to pet and coo as it lapped up the contents. Seeing this, he just shrugged at his friend and dug out some money.
Naruto paid for two coffee's and the cat's drink. Then he slowly made his way to the corner nitch that he had claimed as his own. Naruto sat in the comfortable chair and stared as Gaara sat down opposite. Naruto was really glad that there was a table between the two of them. Abruptly Gaara began to speak.
"We're the same aren't we Naruto." Well, so much for small talk. Naruto was absolutely sure he knew what Gaara meant too. He didn't think that he could play off anything but the truth when such conviction was used in a single comment.
"Well not really, but in some respects, yeah, I guess so. What's your point?" Much to Naruto's relief the other boy sat back.
"Do you know what's been happening over in water country?" The blond boy shook his head. There was a silence as their coffee was placed on the table. Sometimes before the woman would sit down and talk to Naruto, but now it seemed she knew that a serious discussion was being carried out and slowly made her way back to the cat at the bar. The only other sound in the shop for a minute was the low rumbling of a deeply satisfied kitty.
"You understand what happened to me, and what happened to you, correct? Well, it seems that we're going to have someone else join our little freak show." Not the best choice of words, Naruto bristled at the word freak, that is, until the gravity of what Gaara had said sank in.
"You've got to be kidding me, another demon child?" Gaara shook his head.
"Not yet, but soon, maybe? The reports we've been getting are all very jumbled. It seems that a faction of Hidden Mist has had reports about you and I, and feel that our villages have a certain advantage over everyone else. Now the whole village is in an uproar at the proposition. Not to mention all the surrounding villages. This might have been settled if the group that proposed the idea had been a small faction that could be easily wiped out, but its seems as though half the town was involved. Certain important people are now missing, and," And Gaara took a deep breath. "One boy, our age, is gone."
Naruto reached a shaky hand for his cup. This was very bad, and very ironic. Why now, when he was having problems with his own demon, did someone else's problem have to intrude? Not only that, Naruto looked angrily at the boy across from him.
"Their idiots if they're thinking that someone our age will be able to control this, what kind of demon is it that they're proposing?" Gaara looked ready to spit, but just took a drink instead.
"Leviathan, of course." Naruto blinked as he felt something deep stir. It had felt like hatred. Had that caused some reaction within Kyubi? Interesting. What did he know about a leviathan?
"Ancient demon of water right? Looks like a big-," Naruto trailed off and they both stared at each other in horror, as thoughts became conclusions. Then Naruto laughed it off. "Nah that can't be it, they wouldn't show up or Sasuke would be foaming at the mouth now. And I'd be in some sack slung over a shoulder. Itachi and crew wouldn't do anything unless they thought they could get to me." Gaara looked thoughtful and then nodded.
"Even I have to admit that their obsession was very, focused." Naruto shuddered.
"It's because my control isn't what you would call absolute, they were attracted to the fact. It leaves opportunities, for lots of power, why are you grinning at me like that?"
Gaara blinked but didn't stop smiling; Naruto found it a little disconcerting.
"I think you've changed more then you like to think, Naruto. The person I met before would never have admitted to having a weakness." The blond boy laughed nervously. Had he really said that? He must be more tired then he thought. He had to be more careful or he would give the whole game away too soon. He still wasn't sure that Gaara wouldn't take an opportunity such as his loss of control and use it to his own ends. Four or five years can change a person, but not by much.
Suddenly something warm covered his hand and he looked down. Gaara had softly placed his own hand over Naruto's. He jerked his head up to see the same look in the boy's eyes that he had caught a glimpse of earlier. Gentle fingertips ran over the back of his hand, making soft circles and the eyes looked down in contemplation at them. Naruto was completely grounded, and was likewise worried that the heat surging in him would make him melt.
"Naruto, on a lighter note," Gaara looked back up, placing his elbow on the table and tilted his head so it was resting in his other hand. The other continued its hypnotic seduction of circles.
"Will you tell me about Sasuke-kun?"
