Now presenting….CHAPTER2! (whichreallysucksbutanyway . )

I still am not sure where I'm going with this… It's basically touch and go, so updates will most likely be fairly sporadic… XD

Anyway, on with the (reallyreallycrappyandpathetic) chapter!

n..n

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Gaara wasn't there when he woke up, but the note on the table said he went to the hospital early. Naruto wasn't sure if it was because of what he'd told him last night or if he already had the early shift before that. He sat at the table contemplating this with his coffee, or 'coffee-flavored sugar' as Gaara called it, growing cold in his hands. He probably would have sat there until Gaara got home and scolded him for it if the doorbell hadn't rang after an hour or two. When he did open the door however, it was the last person he expected to see. When he opened the door, it was Sasuke who stood there.

"S-sa…"

"Did you keep your promise Naruto?" Sasuke asked gently as he cupped Naruto's Cheek. Naruto didn't lean into it as he would have years ago, but didn't shy away either. He simply didn't move.

"I…you…I…" Naruto's feeble attempts at a sentence failed completely when Sasuke softly kissed his forehead and walked away. Naruto collapsed onto the floor in tears, which was exactly where Gaara found him when he returned from work.

- - - -

"I don't know, it's the first time I've ever seen him cry like that…he was sitting there with the door open…I did…I've never heard that name before last night…no…I know…but-…I know…I don't know what to do for him…no I didn't let him go to work today, why-…yeah, I know…I know but-…you remember how I was when-…yeah…yeah…no, not once…but-…damnit Temari, you and Shikamaru can't talk at the same time, I can't understand either of you…hey, just because-…yeah…hey, I'm gonna-…yeah…I can't it's raining…yes, lightning too…look Tem, I don't want to leave him alone anymore…yes, I know…I know…I'm just worried about him…yeah, me too…bye…I know…I will…bye." Gaara sighed as he hung up the phone with his sister and her husband, almost cursing his promise to tell her everything that went on. Ever since what happened all those years ago, she'd made him promise. He touched the red kanji tattooed on his forehead and closed his eyes. He was a total wreck when he got it. It had been right after his first love left him, was taken from him.

But now, as he took his hand away and opened his eyes, there was someone who he loved, who needed him, and he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Gaara stared for a moment at Naruto's coffee-flavored sugar, which still sat on the table, before moving out of the kitchen and to the bedside of his currently unconscious love.

"Naruto…" he said gently as he stroked stray hairs from the little angel's tear-streaked face.

"Gaara, please. Please…" Naruto whimpered in his sleep.

"I'm here Naruto. I'll always be here." Gaara kissed Naruto's temple lightly and fell asleep by his side.