Hehe... sorry it took us so long to get this out. Mostly my fault, i've had this for about a week and kept forgetting to post it. sweatdrops sheepishly

Disclaimer: Naruto (c) Belongs to Kishimoto Masahi. And all mind blowing lemons belong to Kanemoshi.

Naruto POV

I tried to sleep, I really did, but the knowledge that Gaara was here, in a hotel close by, had me tossing and turning in my bed. With a frustrated growl I kicked off the covers and decided to go for a walk. I quickly changed into regular pants and a t-shirt with a spiral, and fluidly leapt from my window to the ground below. I walked down the deserted street, my hands in my pockets and staring at the stars above, twinkling in the black sky. I was so absorbed in my thoughts I almost didn't see a familiar figure pass by, swallowed by the darkness. I ran quickly to catch up with him.

"Oi! Shikamaru!"

The kage-nin paused and turned around, recognition flashing in his eyes. I could almost hear the muttered 'mendokusee' as he sighed, probably not wanting to be disturbed.

"…Why are you out so late, Naruto?"

"I could ask you the same thing, lazy ass. Anyway, I couldn't sleep. You?"

I could see him debate whether it was too troublesome to tell me or not. Eventually he seemed to give in.

"I couldn't sleep either."

His voice sounded exasperated, as if he was worrying about something that confused him. I wonder…

"Hey, did you know that Fuzzy Eyebrows has a crush on Choji? He told me about it today!"

I noticed that Shikamaru's shoulders tensed up, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Enough for me to know that he did know… and that it bothered him.

"Oh, so Choji told you? Since when have you two been so close?"

I can definitely sense some jealously here. It's almost blatantly obvious…

"Anou, we just started talking and found we have a lot in common. Don't worry, Choji told me he's not interested in Fuzzy Eyebrows."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"He told you that?"

"Hai. No need to be jealous, right?"

"…Jealous of what?"

Hmm, am I dreaming or is Shikamaru in… denial?

"Shikamaru, what do you think of Choji?"

(Shikamaru's POV)

"Shikamaru, what do you think of Choji?"

If I had been one for letting my emotions control me, I probably would have either: one, blushed furiously, two, blushed furiously while trying to hide the fact I was blushing, or three, admitted to the blonde what I truly felt for my best friend while (of course) blushing. But, since I was usually calm and collected, I simply raised an eyebrow and ignored the fact my face felt like an inflamed tomato (and I'm sure that, even in this dim lighting, Naruto could see my red cheeks) before taking a deep breath. I let out the air, unconsciously muttering 'mendokusee' under my breath before looking the blonde in the eyes. "He's my best friend."

"That doesn't answer my question," Naruto pointed out. I inwardly twitched. For the first time since I met Naruto, it appeared that the idiot had some brains - either that, or he was just as stubborn as Ino when it came to this kind of thing. Troublesome, stubborn, overbearing, nosy blondes. Thinking about it, the Hokage also fit those specifics. Just my luck that I knew all three and dealt with them almost daily. For a moment, I counted my blessings - I could have had that dream about Ino…or Naruto. The idea of Ino…it just made me tremble in fear…Naruto, though, he wasn't too bad. He was good looking…actually, he was pretty, but I would never admit it even under pain of death. I was someone who firmly believed that if your…interest had an IQ three points lower than the ramen that his body lived off of, there was something wrong with the relationship.

But, then again, Naruto had his redeeming qualities. There weren't many, but they were enough to get me to respect - even like - the blonde. He was strong, fiercely loyal, caring, friendly, helpful…everything someone looked for in a good friend. It was no wonder he obviously hit it off so well with Choji. They were so much alike. That thought, though, made my stomach tighten slightly. Choji had told Naruto about the whole Lee thing, but he had yet to really talk to me about anything. It was more than betrayal if you don't tell your best friends things like this…even though he knew I would probably just ignore him or tell him it was all too troublesome. I actually liked talking with Choji, and other people, about their problems. It not only gave me a chance to better understand them, it also let me see the other sides of them.

"…I think he's a great shinobi," I replied calmly, praying that Naruto wouldn't notice the slight quiver in my voice. Choji was more than a wonderful shinobi, he was…Choji. I didn't know how else to describe it. To me, his name itself was self explanatory. He was fun to be around, helpful, gentle, humorous, quick-witted, a good listener and an even better conversationalist. He could actually challenge me in debates and games, despite my intelligence. He could catch me off guard and make me seriously consider things that I otherwise would have ignored. Choji was the only person I knew who was anything but bothersome.

I didn't realize it until it was too late, but I had let a smile cross my features as I thought about my best friend. I quickly rid myself of the happy expression, but not before Naruto caught it. The blonde chuckled and, for a moment, I thought I saw…understanding flicker in his blue eyes.

Shimatta…mendokusee…

Naruto (POV)

I watched, somewhat amused, as a couple of emotions flittered in Shikamaru's eyes as he tried to formulate a response to my question. A small smile lit up his features, and I could tell it was because he was thinking of Chouji. I chuckled as he quickly wiped it off his face, and looked at him understandingly.

'He's probably nervous 'cuz this is all new to him. Being in love… and with his best male friend no less.'

"You do know that I want an answer, right Nara?"

He turned to head to the side and mumbled so low that I could barely hear him

"…It's none of your business."

Grr, Shikamaru can be really exasperating when he wants to. Time for more interrogation…

"You like him, don't you? Why's it so hard to admit it? If it's because he's a guy, I don't know why you're worrying. I mean, look at Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei. They're good for each other, even if they're both male."

I didn't tell him about the other person I knew about who was in a similar situation to himself…. If word leaked out, I'd have little bugs tormenting me in my sleep. I hate creepy crawly things…. Shikamaru eyed me wearily.

"You don't seem to be bothered by this stuff at all. Gotten over Sakura?"

"Definitely."

"About time, baka."

"Hey!"

I had to admit that was insulting. Sure it took me a while, but I got over it, didn't I?

"So who's the new guy?"

I was thankful that the dark hid my blush.

"Sabaku no Gaara."

"…The guy that destroyed Lee in the exams and was plotting against the village, and is now the Kazekage?"

I was seething. He didn't have to put it like that!

"…Shut up! Anyway, this is off the point. What are you going to do about Chouji?"

I could almost see three little dots appear above Shikamaru's head as he thought about it.

Shikamaru's POV

I thought about it for a moment. What was I going to do about Chouji? I wasn't exactly sure on my course of action, but I knew one thing for certain. Whatever I did, it would have nothing to do with telling my best friend about my…interesting experience while thinking about him. Like my father said, it's normal for teenagers to feel like this. For once, I actually wanted to believe my old man, but just couldn't. All the times he told me that he married my mother for certain reasons, I merely raised an eyebrow and ignored that reason (that would have probably gotten me to twitch if he had gone into any detail whatsoever), but this was the first time I had ever actually wanted to listen and accept what the old pervert said. It isn't normal to feel like this about your best friend…even Naruto feels things for someone else other than his best friend…but, then again, who the hell would willingly fall in love with Sasuke? It took me a moment to understand my own thoughts. …fall…in love?

Somehow, I got the feeling Naruto had an idea what I was thinking about because I could see a sympathetic expression on his face. Iie…I'm not falling in love with Chouji…he is my best friend and nothing more…I'm just feeling like this because I'm not in any kind of physical relationship with someone else and my hormones are getting to me…

I forced myself to keep my eyes locked over Naruto's left shoulder so that I wouldn't have to see the blonde's face as he chuckled softly. For a moment, I understood why Sakura – and everyone else for that matter – were always beating him for something…he was so annoying. And he wasn't even doing anything! Just his knowing presence was enough for me to bite my inner cheek in attempts to not yell at him.

I am not in love with Chouji…I'm not…I repeated this mantra to myself, but found it impossible to start believing it after I saw the understanding in Naruto's face. If someone as simple as Naruto could see my feelings that clearly, then there was no way that I could force myself to believe a blatant lie.

I thought about it for a moment, weighing out the choices in my head, but I couldn't deny the one thing that got my heart to speed up without any logical reason. All logic cast aside, it made perfect sense, but I was someone whose IQ was off the scales – who always thought things through and could forsee every outcome possible and, by thinking things over for a moment, could plan a strategy that is close to (if not already) perfection. But this wasn't a game or a battle. There were no rules or laws involved. Not even the most common bits of sense applied to it. For the first time in my short life, I found myself getting a migrane from the mere thought of something that was so far from my comprehension. This was the same thing that made me take a shaky breath as I finally admitted the truth to my genius self.

Shimatta…I'm falling in love with Chouji…

Naruto POV

Aha, the usual plethora of facial expressions. Not to sound sadistic or anything, but it's pretty funny seeing Shikamaru, the genius with a 200+ IQ, so confused over something so easy to understand. Yep, just the fact that he was confused was a dead giveaway; he liked Chouji. I smiled happily to myself as Shikamaru took a shaky breath, and his expression suddenly settled. About time.

"Finally figure it out, genius?"

How I love annoying people and seeing their expressions of pure annoyance as they try to refrain from yelling at me, beating me up, or just giving up and doing both.

"…Hai. Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"…Arigato."

I merely gave him a thumbs up and a cheeky smile.

"No prob. See ya around."

He nodded in acknowledgement and walked back into the swallowing darkness, hands in pockets. Satisfied with the outcome of the conversation, I started to wander around again, not quite ready for sleep. God, why was I so restless? Damn Gaara, you affect me so much…even when you're not around. I suddenly stopped and stared at the sky. Does loneliness really create this kind of connection? Like you want to heal something else, to help cure your own pain as well as theirs. I let out a short laugh as I looked at my hands; Yeah, I loved him, but… it's not like he loves me back.

(Gaara's POV)

I inwardly cursed the cold breeze that blew past me, as though the air itself knew that I was wearing the thin clothing that was common in Suna - and that I wasn't accustomed to such cold weather. I wrapped my arms around my body, remembering how it used to be...before I lost Shukaku. Back then, I felt no pain...no cold, heat...nothing. Ever since my demon was taken from me, I found myself more and more subjected to what everyone else considered normal.

Cold was just the most annoying thing I had yet to learn about. The heat was something I could stand. Having grown up in a desert my whole life, it was natural for my body to involuntarily adapt to the hot temperature. I visibly shivered as I slowly began rubbing my cold hands against my equally cool arms in attempts to regain some feeling in my limbs.

I turned a corner of Konoha's empty streets and found myself staring at a pair of shinobi who hadn't noticed my presence. Before they saw me, I slid back around the corner and listened to their conversation – or what sounded to be the end of it.

"Finally figure it out, genius?"

"…Hai. Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"…Arigato."

I couldn't see their faces, but I got the sinking feeling that whatever they were talking about was something important. I could hear the seriousness hidden underneath Naruto's usual joking tone and, for some reason, it caused a painful twinge in my chest to hear his voice.

I inwardly sighed when I heard the shuffling of footsteps. It was too heavy to be Naruto's, so I assumed that it was the Nara walking in the direction opposite my hiding spot. I was about to step out and make the blonde aware of my presence, but I froze when I heard his light steps walking towards me.

I knew he couldn't see me in the dark corner I was hiding in, but he still stopped mere inches away from me. He was so close, I could clearly make out the ragged edges of the dark marks stretching across his cheeks. I studied the blonde's beautiful face, knowing if my gaze lowered any, I would probably have the images of last night's dream stuck in my head for the next few hours.

Dreams. The thought of something so…realistic and incredible being a product of a person's subconscious still amazed me. I never dreamed when Shukaku was still inside me – even when I did get a few seconds of sleep every now and again – but now that he was gone, I had dreams on the nights I could find solace in slumber. I still slept for short amounts of time and usually skipped most nights of sleep, but when I did sleep, my dreams were mostly replays of all the atrocities I had committed or my damned childhood. Lately, though, those nightmarish dreams had begun to become less and less frequent, being replaced by the erotic dreams that, like tonight, left me unable to even lay down without wondering what my dreams may bring.

I was pulled from my musings when I saw Naruto tilt his head upwards, his impossibly blue eyes transfixed on the darkened sky. I found myself unable to breathe as I watched his face reflect the emotion I knew best. Pain. I bit my lip as the pain reflecting in his eyes bled into sorrow and defeat. I tightened my hands into fists, wondering what the Nara could have possibly said to upset Naruto so much.

Whatever it was, I would assuredly make the pineapple-head pay dearly for hurting my blonde. With that thought of revenge in mind, I loosened my fists and waited until Naruto had continued walking and was far gone before I came out of my hiding spot and went in search of my brother.

He would know what to do...

(Kanky's POV)

Yawning softly, I stretched across the large couch - one of the many pieces of comfortable furniture in the room. I had tried each chair, loveseat, and cushion out in attempts to find the perfect seat and finally decided on the overstuffed purple and red striped couch. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and remembered why exactly I was in this massive room all by myself.

I had been walking back to my hotel room, trying my hardest to keep from being seen or noticed, just in case Temari was still looking for me. She had wanted to go shopping again. I decided that I would rather be castrated by a hot, blunt poker than go back to any store with her, so I ran. Before I could reach the sanctuary of my room, though, I ran into one of Tsunade's underlings - Shizune was her name, I think - and the annoying woman dragged me to this isolated room in the Hokage's Tower's basement without even so much as an explanation. Well, at least she had comfy furniture for me to lounge on as I waited. Waited for what exactly, I wasn't sure. All Shizune said was to 'wait here.'

It was like some kind of covert operation. I didn't get much of a chance anymore to go on missions since I was so busy. Ever since Gaara became Kazekage, I had become his most trusted advisor. Not only that, but I somehow became a diplomat who was continuously forced to settle scuffles between Suna's clans. Temari was the diplomat who was sent to other Hidden Villages. Probably because she would scare our own people if she was their mediator…at least at the other villages, she would be judged (and respected) for her abilities and strength.

Since I was the least intimidating of the three of us, I got stuck with resolving blood feuds or debates over land and money. Not that I minded, though. It always gave me a chance to prove my own intelligence instead of just being seen as the Kazekage's brother. People respected me because they knew I was fair and equal in my compromises that were (not to be conceited) brilliant ideas. They also knew that I was a normal teen. I could take a joke - and even give as good as I got - like any other person. People didn't dare play pranks on either of my siblings in fear of their immediate death.

"Gomen, Kankuro-san…I didn't mean to make you wait so long…" I raised an eyebrow as I shifted my head in the general direction of that female voice. I found myself captivated by the most massive chest I had ever seen. Even Temari paled in comparison.

"Hokage-sama…" I had to remind myself not to stare at the chest that defied physics and all things natural as I forced a polite greeting. "It's good to see you again." And I believe your chest has grown quite a bit since my last visit…I had to add silently to myself as I slid into a sitting position, then turned enough so that I could look at the woman who was walking towards me, a knowing smile on her face. Shimatta…did I say that aloud? I wondered as I studied the woman sitting down in a large chair a few feet to my right.

"Let's cut the small-talk, Kankuro…do you know what has been going on under our noses?" Tsunade folded her hands across her lap as she stared at me, waiting for an answer. I simply frowned, unsure of exactly what she was talking about. Tsunade let out an exasperated sigh when she saw my confusion. "Your brother and Naruto…"

Oh…that… I chuckled to myself when I saw the smirk coming to Tsunade's face. "…I was aware of it…" I replied, keeping my voice even so that the woman wouldn't' be able to tell if I accepted or condemned the relationship. I didn't want to get on her bad side while in a very, very remote room in her basement. Especially since the way down was maze-like. She was enough like Temari that I might never see the light of day again. But, then again, my sister was a Yaoi-fanatic…maybe I'd be lucky enough to find my sister's kindred spirit in this overly-busty woman.

"I'm not going to forbid such a relationship, Kankuro…but I don't want Naruto hurt…especially by someone who he-"

"Loves…I actually overheard him admitting it to one of his friends…and Gaara's been acting strange lately…so I know the feeling is mutual…" I replied, noticing the relieved smile that came to Tsunade's face at that comment. I knew that if my brother fell in love with someone and that feeling wasn't returned, I would have been just as worried - and relieved to hear that it wasn't a one-sided relationship. "Now, I'm going to ask you something…what the hell am I doing down here?"

"I had to make sure no one overheard us…not even my own shinobi…" Tsunade said calmly, standing up enough so that she could pull her chair closer to me. That fear of never seeing the light of day started to come back in full force when I saw a new (and very frightening) smile come to her face. For a moment, I wondered if this was how people felt when I smiled in that devious way. If so, I resolved never to smirk like that again. "I want to make sure that no one interferes in this relationship…but…I think they do need a little…push, if you get my meaning…"

"…what do you want me to do?" I asked, keeping my face emotionless when all I wanted to do was mirror Tsunade's smirk as I agreed whole-heartedly with her. There was no way Gaara would admit his feelings…and Naruto…no offense to the kid, but he was just stupid enough to not see that my brother was beyond infatuated with him. Why Gaara fell in love with Naruto of all people was beyond me, but I wasn't going to debate the workings of love. Look at who I fell for…I thought to myself, inwardly wincing slightly when a mental image of the object of my affections came to mind.

He'll never feel the same way…would you, Neji?

(still Kanky's POV)

I flopped down on my couch. I named it mine since I was usually the only sibling who had enough free time to do absolutely nothing - also known as lounging across the comfortable piece of furniture as I thought over Tsunade's plot to get my brother and the next Hokage together.

It was an easy enough plan - give them every possible opportunity to express their feelings, plus a few romantic moments and such. It was pretty much the same idea Temari had in her head when I informed her about our brother's crush, but I had adamantly disagreed with her proposal then. Tsunade, on the other hand, scared me into agreeing to help anyway possible. Her only condition was that I could say nothing to anyone about our deal - not even Temari.

It wasn't that bad of an idea, but I highly doubted that my brother would confess his love for the blonde idiot if given multiple chances in dreamy settings. Hell, short of actual torture and certain death, I'm sure Gaara would never say anything to Naruto about his feelings. And Naruto, Tsunade informed me, was about as emotional as a rock when it came to something like this. He could feel love and caring for people, but he was afraid of being hurt. That paranoia was so bad that Tsunade feared Naruto would keep to himself if he wasn't absolutely sure he wouldn't be rejected.

"Where have you been?" Gaara's voice filtered into the room, his angry tone making warning bells go off in my head as I flew off the couch in surprise. I landed on the floor and quickly stood back up before my brother could see my embarrassing reaction. Quite frankly, the little brat just scared me shitless. I didn't hear him come in and I was pretty sure no one else was in the apartment. It was nearing midnight and both of my siblings were missing. If I didn't already know my brother was an insomniac who liked to roam during the night and that my sister…well…I didn't have to worry about her safety…I would have been quite concerned. As things were, though, it just made me relax more to know I was the only one around. I turned around and saw my brother leaning against the doorframe that led to the kitchen. From the annoyance on his face, he had been in the apartment for some time…and was waiting for me.

"G-Gaara…it's late…I-I think I'm going to bed…" I could see the glimmer in his sea-green eyes. That look usually meant someone's death a few years ago. I hadn't seen that particular expression lately, so I had no reason to worry. But now? I was absolutely terrified that his anger was going to be shifted to me…unless I was the cause of his bad mood.

"What's the best way to kill someone?" Gaara asked, his voice completely even. It was as though I was still staring at the twelve-year old who had even Temari trembling in fear. Gaara hadn't killed anyone for revenge for so many years…it wasn't in his nature anymore. I studied him for a moment, noticing that, even though his face was impassive, his body was shaking slightly.

"What happened?" I said curiously, daringly taking a step towards him. As I closed the distance between us, I could see that the murderous glimmer in his eyes wasn't as harsh as it used to be. That, and there was something else in his large eyes - something that I had only seen in other people's eyes. People who had something to lose and were willing to protect it at all costs. Immediately, I thought that something happened to Naruto, but banished the thought away since Tsunade would have informed me when I was talking to her a few minutes ago.

"Someone hurt…" Gaara's expression became thoughtful, as though he was trying to find a word to describe his crush. "a friend of mine…I wish to get revenge…" I had to stop myself from smiling when I heard the hint of love and caring that Gaara's tone held as he spoke.

"What did this person do?" I asked, trying to sound like I was completely clueless as to who Gaara's 'friend' was. It was the first time I found lying hard. With a sigh, I placed my hand on Gaara's shoulder and gave my brother a small smile.

"It doesn't matter…" Gaara retorted stubbornly as he tried shrugging my hand off of him, but I just tightened my grip. "Let go of me…" Gaara's voice became frighteningly deep and I couldn't help but shiver slightly at the sound. Every other time I heard this voice, someone died. Usually in a terrible, painful way as well.

"Maybe you should go talk to this friend of yours to see what you should do…" I suggested, trying my hardest not to tremble from hearing that voice. My brother was far more frightening than anyone else to exist…even the members of Akatsuki. At least those people had reasons (albeit terrible reasons) to kill. Gaara saw murder as an answer to many things - usually things that would have resulted in only a punch or two by someone else. It wasn't as bad as it used to be, but I still feared what my brother could do if he wanted.

Gaara didn't say anything, but from the pensive look he gave me, I knew his momentary thoughts of murdering his older brother had passed. I inwardly sighed in relief as I let go of his shoulder and watched my brother leave the apartment without saying another word to me.

"Shimatta…" I sighed as I plopped back down on my couch and buried my head in my hands as I thought about what tomorrow might bring…either a very questionable 'accident' or a moody (or very happy) younger brother. I just prayed that it would be the one that wouldn't leave me fearing for my life.

(Gaara's POV)

Knock, knock!

My knocking was met with silence…for the fifth time. I inwardly let out a sigh as I turned to leave. Apparently the blonde was either not home or could sleep through Armageddon. I had already woken up every other person in the apartment complex with my pounding…but the blonde had yet to come to the door.

I had already tried opening the door, surprised to find it locked. I always put Naruto as one of those people who wouldn't ever lock his door - whether or not he was home. I turned around to leave, but froze when I heard a pounding come from inside the morgue-like apartment. I spun back around in just enough time to see the shabby door fly open, revealing a very tired…and very shirtless blonde.

For a moment, I couldn't pull my eyes away from the cap lopsidedly resting on the blonde locks as I tried figuring out what the hell kind of animal it was supposed to be. Whatever it was, it was a frightening depiction. Taking a deep breath, I lowered my gaze enough so I could see Naruto rubbing his eyes as he yawned.

"G-Gaa? What are you doin' 'ere?" Naruto yawned again, pulling his hands away from his face as he slumped against the doorframe, his blue eyes looking at me tiredly. I couldn't help but feel slightly bad at waking up the obviously exhausted shinobi. But, then again, since I already woke him up, there was no reason that my plan couldn't be put into play.

"…Take a walk with me…" I stated, inwardly wincing at how demanding I had sounded. Naruto simply raised an eyebrow, then looked down at his chest. I could see the blush coming to his face as he backed up a few steps, then shot back into the house, slamming the door in my face.

Naruto's POV

"…Take a walk with me…"

I raised an eyebrow at this request. I had finally gotten to sleep after I talked with Shikamaru, and now Gaara of all people had woken me up. Who takes a walk at 1:30 in the morning? A breeze blew across my bare torso and I was suddenly painfully aware of my shirtless condition. I was shirtless…in front of my crush. I felt my cheeks flush and immediately shot back through the door, slamming it shut.

"Kuso…"

Okay, deep breath and calm down. Gaara just showed up at your door and wants to take a walk. You totally spazzed out because you realized you were practically half naked in front of him.

Oh fuck. Why am I talking in third person?

I just slammed the door in his face…How rude! What if he hates me now? What if he thinks I hate him? No, he can't think that I hate him! Because, because…. I don't. I immediately went back to the door and wretched it open, coming face to face with the sand shinobi. I thought I saw a look of hurt that was immediately replaced by confusion.

"Naruto….?"

"Gomen, Gaara… sure I'll go on a walk with you. I'm just gonna get dressed first, okay?"

I then realized it would be really bad manners to leave him standing in the dark and cold while I changed, so I invited him inside. He came in hesitantly, as if he didn't quite know what to do. I directed him to a chair and went to my room to change. For some reason, I decided not to wear my usual orange outfit. Instead I picked out a pair of jeans and put on a white wife beater, covering it with a blue jacket that had two orange stripes running down the sleeves. Deciding that I looked decent, I went back into the room where Gaara was still sitting.

"Okay, I'm ready."

He nodded and stood up. I noticed that he seemed to look at me. Did he notice I was wearing something new? Who knows….

"…Lets go."

I nodded in return and followed him out the door, remembering to lock the door behind me. So… back to the question of why Gaara would want to take a walk this early in the morning. I know that he's an insomniac, but why would he want me to be with him? Could it be that… no, he probably wanted me because we're similar to each other. Did he want to confide in me? Gah, I just don't know…

We walked in silence for a while. Gaara looked like he was contemplating something, and I didn't want to interrupt his thoughts.

"Naruto…"

I looked up at him. The red head was staring at me intently.

"Why are you… in pain?"

I froze where I was. What was Gaara talking about…? He seemed to notice my confusion.

"…Earlier, you were talking to the Nara boy, and I noticed that you looked upset afterwards. I couldn't hear what you were talking about…what did he say to you?"

I swallowed nervously. Gaara had been there? Why didn't I notice?

"I… I was just talking to him about… he has a crush on someone and I was encouraging him to do something about it. His crush is a friend of mine, so I think it would be really great if they could get together."

"Then why did you look upset afterwards?"

How could I answer that question? Say, 'well actually I was upset because I really like you but know you'll probably never like me back.'? Nope. I couldn't face the rejection… not from him. I'd faced rejection before…

'You had nothing in the first place!'

'I will break that bond!'

'I'm going to Orochimaru.'

Shit, why did he have to come to mind at a time like this…? The one who broke my first bond… If I have to go through pain like that again, then I don't think it's worth it to forge another one. But… maybe loneliness hurts more than pain. Maybe that's why I wanted to help Choji, because his loneliness reminded me of my own. Pain… I suddenly felt a hand grasp my shoulder.

"…What's wrong?"

"Gaara…"

I don't know what I was thinking. The pain in my chest just became too much… I reached my arms around him, grabbed on for support, and felt tears running down my face. I was afraid. As much as rejection hurt, loneliness was even worse.

"Gaara… when I'm lonely, I'm in pain."

(Gaara's POV)

"Gaara…when I'm lonely, I'm in pain…"

I didn't get the chance to register that the most beautiful creature in existence was currently holding me as though I was the only thing that could keep him here. I didn't even think about how it felt to have his deliciously warm body against my cold flesh or how his form just seemed to melt against my own, his arms wrapping around my neck and fingers twining into my already disheveled hair. Not even the conscious thought of returning the embrace came to mind as I enveloped him in my arms, tightening my grasp on him in a nonverbal way of reassuring the blonde.

At that moment, all I could think about was making sure that Naruto would never feel that lonely pain again. I knew that feeling too well…but the thought of someone else having the same emotion never crossed my mind. Now, knowing that I wasn't the only one, I realized that I would do anything in my power to end Naruto's loneliness.

Without even thinking if the sobbing teen in my arms would rebuff me, I tighened my arms around him as I buried my head into his hair, noticing immediately that my nuzzling was calming the blonde down some. After another few moments of my tender embrace, Naruto's sobbing had dulled to soft hiccups. His shaking body had stilled, which left it possible for me to feel his heart rapidly beating against my chest. For a moment, I wondered if he could feel my irregular heartbeat as well.

"…" I opened my mouth, but wasn't exactly sure what I could say to the blonde in my arms. Even if I could have thought up of some kind of excuse that would actually sound believable, I would have been unable to lie to the boy. Which left me with no other option than speaking the truth; what I was feeling. For the first time in my life, I was afraid to speak my mind.

"Gaara…?" Those blue eyes captured me as I looked down at the obviously confused blonde. I couldn't stop myself (even if I had wanted to) from tightening my arms around the boy. Instinctively, I bent slightly and pulled Naruto against my chest, lifting him up just enough that only the tips of his toes were still resting on the ground. For a moment, from the glimmer of annoyance in those azure orbs, I was sure Naruto was mad at me for doing so, but then I caught the blush and accompanying smile on his beautiful face. It wasn't until that moment, with Naruto in my arms, that I realized that, not only was Naruto noticeably shorter than me, but that he was also smaller in every other physical way. Underneath the thin material he had changed into, I could feel the teen's defined muscles. They were, in no way, bulky; they were sculpted to perfection, fitting the small blonde's frame in such a way, I quickly became addicted to the sensation of those powerful muscles unintentionally brushing against my chilled body.

Only for a moment did I deny myself the one thing I had dreamed about for so long…and almost as quickly as what little conscience I possessed flitted away, I ran my fingers down his back, tracing the boy's spinal cord and the muscles running parallel to the bones. As my hand ventured lower down his back, I felt Naruto tremble slightly as he audibly gasped.

I couldn't help but smirk proudly when Naruto reacted to my ministrations. He hadn't pushed me away yet in disgust or fear – which was a nonverbal agreement in my mind. My heart elevated with that realization; Naruto had yet to reject me, even though I had clearly shown my emotions towards the boy. Perhaps it wasn't as obvious as a spoken display, but I knew that I was already incapable of speech – I lost that ability when Naruto shifted in my arms, pressing his body into my hands as his own fingers wove themselves into my hair and his eyes again met mine. There was something in those eyes that I just knew to be acceptance, mixed with something else that I couldn't quite place.

Whatever it was in his eyes, though, got me to forget breathing momentarily as I removed one of my hands from his back in order to touch his face. I traced my fingertips along the whisker marks on his cheeks, fascinated with how soft and warm his skin was. His eyes closed as my fingers danced across his lips, memorizing the feeling of his warm breath on my hand.

For the first time in my life, I felt the one thing that had always eluded me – complete and total love. I knew what it was as soon as those beautiful eyes fluttered open and Naruto smiled at me. I took a shaky breath before cupping his round cheek and brushing my thumb against his delicate cheekbone. "…c-can I…" I felt my face warm slightly at the thought of what I was saying – or at least trying to say. I took another deep breath, forcing myself to voice my request, "…k-kiss…y-you…"

Naruto POV

I always thought that I'd be alone. Not completely alone- I still had Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and most of the rookie nine that I could turn to if I ever got in trouble or needed someone to talk to. It was the alone of not having someone who loved only me, someone that I could come home to and know that I had a truly precious person in the world. I had my friends, but at the end of the day I always came back to a lonely apartment. I never thought that someone would comfort me when I cried, or touch me like this. I never thought that anyone would look at me with something like that in his eyes. I never dreamed that the person I cared about so much, the person I loved, would ask me if he could…

"Yes."

How could I refuse a request like that? Right now Gaara's so… cute. I had no idea he stuttered when nervous. He was still cupping my face, and (no matter how corny it sounds) my heart started to beat faster as his face came closer to my own. Wow, this is just like something from a cheesy shojo manga… not that I'm complaining.

(Gaara's POV)

Hearing that single word, spoken with all the warmth a monster like me had never known, forced all logical thought out of my head. Even the word's meaning was lost to me for a moment as I stared into those beautiful blue orbs. They held nothing to betray the fact I was intimately embracing the infamous Kyuubi no Kitsune's container; there was no hatred, no pain…only an amount of love and caring so great, I couldn't even think of a word to describe it, besides "beautiful…" I could feel Naruto's face warm up at the comment, which made me realize that I had, at some point during my musings on these new emotions, moved my face so close to his, our noses were just barely touching.

The realization of that small bit of contact made my lower body tighten in…something. This wasn't like my dreams at all…no, this was far better. I decided that as I dropped my head enough to caress those perfect lips with mine. The first thing I realized as soon as the tingling shock left me was that Naruto's lips were almost impossibly soft and warm, flavored with a hint of his beloved ramen.

It was addictive to the point I found myself repeating my actions before Naruto even had a chance to respond. It didn't take him long to react, however. Within seconds of brushing my lips against his, the blonde's body tensed slightly, his fingers tightening in my hair to the point I had to pull my head back to stop him from pulling out my hair.

Did I do something wrong? I wondered as I immediately focused on those beautiful azure orbs that were wide in wonder…and something else besides his earlier warmth. For the first time, I understood what Temari's novels had described as a 'pit in the bottom of my stomach.' My mouth, drying unbelievably quickly, unconsciously opened and closed as I took in a deep gulp of cool air. My gaze remained fixed on his large eyes, trying to describe the unusual emotion in them. When it finally hit me, that proverbial pit became a gaping cavern. Uncertainty? I had never seen such an emotion on Naruto's face before, so it was understandably unfamiliar. That thought didn't help the coldness that was starting to creep into my body as I quickly let go of him, my head lowering in shame. He had said 'yes,' but there was something I had done to make him want to stop…

"Gomen…" I said softly, my statement coming out as barely a whisper. If it was even possible, Naruto's eyes widened even more as I forced myself to look up at him. At some point, his cheeks had become a deep crimson and the barest of smiles on his face. He looked so beautiful like that…I couldn't stop myself from staring.

"Do you love me, Gaara?" The wavering of his voice indicated anxiety, but I knew instantly that it wasn't a fear of me…or anything I had just done. If this was the cause of Naruto's uncertainty, I considered myself the luckiest bastard alive.

"Baka…" I stepped closer to the kitsune, hardly noticing the fact my lips had formed the barest of smiles. Naruto's face became an even deeper pink as I slowly brought up a hand to his neck, forcing the blonde to move closer to me as I dropped my head to look directly into his eyes. From the broad grin that erupted across his face, I was sure my words weren't lost in my subsequent kiss.

"More than anything…"

(still Gaara's POV)

For the first time in my life, I snuck into my room, praying that neither one of my siblings were around. Knowing my bad luck, I was half expecting both of them to be casually sitting on the couch in the living room, awaiting my return. I let out a thankful sigh when, upon cracking open the front door, I could see all the lights were off and that I couldn't sense their telltale chakra signals. I didn't even wonder where my siblings could be at this hour as I opened the door enough to let myself and the blonde inside. At the moment, there were only two things I cared about – being alone with the boy of my dreams (literally) and…well…what was going to happen between us if the perverse side of me had any say in tonight's activities.

"Sheesh, you think Tsunade would pay me a little more if she could afford to put you guys up in such a nice hotel for a couple weeks…stingy hag…" I almost let out a chuckle at Naruto's statement and following whistle as he looked around the spacious living room. It was true that Tsunade didn't stop at any expense when it came to my comfort during my stay in Konohagure, even going as far as reserving the entire top floor of the village's best hotel for us. Of course, I was sure Naruto didn't know how generous Tsunade had been…he would have been cursing a great deal more if he had.

"I am the Kazekage," I reminded him, smirking when I turned around and saw the pout on his face that screamed 'I know that…I'm not stupid!' There was just something about the way Naruto constantly complained that made me laugh (not that I'd admit that I'd laugh at my blonde's odd quirks to anyone but him). I knew it wasn't because he was underpaid or otherwise being discriminated against (I'd kill someone if that was the reason), but because it was a part of who he was. That odd characteristic made me wonder what kind of childhood he had. I was hated enough by everyone in my own village, but I was never cast away or victimized like I knew Naruto had been. Just that thought made me want to protect the blonde for the rest of my life.

Before Naruto got a chance to close the door behind himself, I wrapped my arms around him and held him tightly. Naruto was probably wondering what the hell got into me from the raised eyebrow I could see on his face. I tried to make up an excuse for my odd, clingy behavior as I slowly let go of him and turned around, gruffly mumbling, "You don't have to worry about pay…when you're Hokage…" Yeah, sad excuse, I know…but I was never good at hiding my emotions or lying when I was around the blonde. I didn't have to turn around to know that he was smiling – I could still hear his barely muffled snickers. I stopped for a moment, sensing that Naruto's eyes were on me. "Nani?"

"When I become Hokage…you'll be staying in the Hokage Tower with me," Naruto stated, his usually cheerful voice becoming dangerously seductive as I felt his hands snake around my middle. Shivering slightly, at either his words or his touch, I wasn't sure, I leaned back slightly into his arms, feeling the rising and falling of his muscular chest against my back. I was glad that I had decided to leave my precious gourd stashed away in my bedroom tonight…that, and that I was wearing thin clothing. Sometimes I had to thank Suna's wardrobes.

"Hmph…wouldn't people talk if the Kazekage and Hokage were residing in the same building?" I asked, a small part of me wondering what Naruto would call our budding relationship. If he would try hiding it from the prejudiced people of Konoha, I could understand. Most people never liked him to begin with. To hear that he had (unconsciously) seduced the Kazekage would probably make them far more uncomfortable than the mere fact that he was the Kyuubi no Kitsune's container.

"They can talk all they want…Ero-sennin would probably write an entire series dedicated to his new peeping opportunity…" I ignored the second half of Naruto's statement – I really didn't want to imagine the old man peeking in on us…it would just ruin my mood… The first half of his comment, however, got one of those rare, genuine smiles to come to my face. Since my back was to Naruto, I knew he couldn't see it, but he tightened his arms around me and rested his head on my shoulder all the same. "The villagers would just have to suck up and deal with it…we aren't doing anything wrong…and I'm not going to give you up just because they're assholes…"

He couldn't have possibly said anything more perfect at that moment. I gently traced my fingers along Naruto's arms, which were still tightly wrapped around my middle, in an unstated agreement. I would have probably voiced my opinion if it hadn't been for the fact that, as soon as I had started to open my mouth, Naruto's hands had begun drifting up to my chest. It was such an electrifying sensation; I hardly noticed that his lips were brushing against my neck. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from gasping as the blonde's tongue darted out and traced my throbbing jugular. I wasn't sure when my pulse had quickened, but I was sure it had something to do with the fact Naruto had me leaning flush against his body, simultaneously licking my exposed neck and tracing his fingers along my chest.

It was almost indescribable; the sensations of Naruto touching me so intimately as he traced out every inch of my neck with his talented tongue. I had to suck in another breath to stop myself from letting out a moan as his tongue hit a particularly sensitive spot on the back of my neck. From the blonde's immediate fascination with that spot, I was sure he noticed my reaction to his ministrations.

"W-wouldn't you rather…do th-this somewhere b-besides-ahh…i-in front of the door?" I managed to ask, surprising myself with the fact I had only slipped once in keeping my satisfied groans in check. I could feel Naruto's lips curve upwards as he stopped his actions – at some point he had started to gently bite down on my neck – maybe that was why I had moaned… I wasn't sure…all I knew for certain was that if Temari or Kankuro were to walk by the door right now – let alone come inside – I would never be able to live down such embarrassment. It was one thing for my siblings to have to wake me up out of a wet dream…it was another thing entirely to walk in on me moaning like some kind of animal in heat as Naruto attacked me. Of course, this attack wasn't one I was going to defend against…

"…heh…maybe you're right…" Naruto replied. I could hear the slight pant to his voice as he spoke. If his actions were doing something like this to me, I had a pretty good idea what he was feeling when I had started pressing up against him as I slowly lost grip on the ability to keep my pleasure-filled cries at bay. Of course, I had only realized what I was doing after Naruto had stopped those amazing actions with his tongue…and his hands. When had his hands dropped down to my lower abdomen…close enough that his fingers were already slipping underneath my waistband?!

Another question that kept slipping through my mind was how Naruto knew exactly how to touch me…I was pretty sure it wasn't experience, but if it was…his other love-interests were damn lucky people…or unlucky, since he was mine now and I'd never let them have him back… I knew I was possessive of my things, but I had never been too selfish when it concerned other people. Naruto, on the other hand, was different…he was perfection in every form of the word and I wasn't going to lose that without a fight.

"Do you usually talk to yourself?" Naruto asked. I blushed when I could hear the humor in his voice…which made me wonder what I had unconsciously said to him. His arms tightened around me as his head lifted to my ear and I could feel his warm breath against my ear. "I haven't had a good night's sleep in a while because of you…and you're mine…" The feral tone to Naruto's voice made me shiver. No one had ever spoken to me like that before…and to be claimed with such surety was arousing beyond comprehension, not to mention his comment on his disturbed sleeping patterns. I never imagined I would have such an effect on someone else, especially the blonde idiot I had fallen for.

My blush became a quite noticeable crimson as I heard the door behind us slam shut – Naruto, being his usual self, probably kicked it closed – and the blonde went back to slipping his hands underneath my loose-fitting pants as he licked my surprisingly responsive neck. Now that I was aware of the placement of his hands, I couldn't help but shiver as those warm limbs slid down my skin, nails gently trailing along the lines of muscle that V-ed down to a particularly intimate area. Before I could gasp in surprise at Naruto's daring, the blonde stopped the southern journey of his venturous hands, satisfying himself with tracing along my abdomen.

Keeping my mind off the fact that Naruto's hands were sending electrifying shivers down to a certain area of my body, I thought about what exactly had gotten me into this interesting turn of events. I had gone out for a walk, woke Naruto up because I wanted to talk to him - it wasn't because I didn't want to be alone - then things started to follow my usual dreams. Of course, our roles were reversed in all of my dreams, but I wasn't going to argue with that skillful tongue slowly dipping below the neckline of my shirt to slowly trail back up my spine or those hands that were pulling me even closer to Naruto…and a very noticeable hardness.

"Nna-" I couldn't even make out the blonde's name between my soft pants for air. Temari and Kankuro never explained how amazing something like this felt. Not even Temari's romance novels fully described the fierce beating of my heart as I turned around in Naruto's arms to look at the beautiful teen. Every other thought of sense and logic left me when I looked into his face. No, no words could explain that uplifting feeling I experienced at that moment.

"Gaara…I…if you want to…I mean…" Naruto started rambling - a quirk I had become accustomed to over the years - keeping his eyes trained on me, but I could clearly see the nervousness in his amazingly blue eyes. "Idreallylikeyoutomakelovetomeandbemyloverandlivewithmea-" I stopped the blonde's rant with a soft chuckle. It was amazing I could even understand anything the boy said, but then again, I've gotten used to his energetic statements. The few words I comprehended gave me a good enough idea of what Naruto was getting so nervous about and I couldn't stop myself from kissing those beautiful lips with such a passion, even Naruto couldn't be uncertain about my answer.

I slowly deepened the kiss as I brought my hands to Naruto's sides and pulled him closer to me as I licked every inch of his warm mouth. The blonde quickly returned my kiss, his almost inaudible moans sending shivers down my back and a noticeably protruding area of my body. If Temari or Kankuro came in right now…I mentally shook my head to get rid of the images of their faces - either smirking perversely or outright amazed. The possibility of them walking in on my blonde and me gave me a good reason to quickly break off our impassioned kiss and bend so that I could put one arm underneath Naruto's knees and lift the startled blonde into my arms.

"Put me down!" Naruto cried, but I could see the broad smile on his reddening face. As I started walking towards my bedroom, the blonde caught me by surprise as he wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled himself closer to me in order to gently kiss my neck. I almost dropped him when I felt his warm tongue begin tracing the tendons in my neck. Of course, those sensations were nothing compared to the sensation of his sharp canines trailing along my jaw line and pale neck. For a moment, I was so caught up in what the blonde was doing, I forgot where exactly we were going. I only remembered when my sensitive ears heard the sound of the door opening.

"Gaa…ra?" My life as I knew it was certainly over; I realized it when I heard the surprise in my brother's voice. Almost as soon as I heard the door close, I could hear a muffled chuckle, followed by a loud thwap. Apparently Temari had accompanied him. I closed my eyes, praying they would let me, one day, live this down. I was so worried about what I would tell them that I didn't hear Naruto's soft giggles until they had become outright snorts.

"…I think you surprised Kanky…" Naruto commented between his chuckles and gasps for breath. I looked down at the blonde in my arms and could see his amusement. Apparently he had no idea what he and I would have to deal with now that my two siblings saw us. "Don't worry, Temari dragged him back out into the hallway…she didn't see anything…" A small sigh of relief escaped my lips at Naruto's comment - mainly from the fact Kankuro was no longer in the room.

A perverted smirk crossed my lips when I glanced over towards the door to our apartment. Naruto was right - neither of my siblings were in the room and the door was closed. Of course, I could still hear Kankuro's snickers coming from far down the hallway, but I didn't really care. He woke me up in the middle of a wet dream…apparently I was loud…there were few things that I could be embarrassed over anymore when it concerned my siblings hearing me. I looked back down at the blonde in my arms and, from the look on Naruto's face, he caught my smirk and understood what I was thinking.

"So, they'll be gone for a while?" Naruto asked before he returned to his previous actions of attacking my neck. I couldn't form a spoken answer when he started to tenderly suck on my Adam's apple, but from the muffled grunt that escaped my lips, he got his answer.

Shifting my arms around the blonde so that he was pressed against my chest, I dropped my head down and caught those soft lips in a gentle kiss. I continued kissing the blonde in my arms as I started backing up, attempting to walk towards my room. Surprisingly, I only hit into one chair and two walls in my journey. I was half-expecting to overturn the entire couch and never make it to my room from the way my mind turned to mush when Naruto ran his fingers through my hair, deepening our kiss.

Before I realized it, I had somehow gotten into my room and was gently laying Naruto down on the large bed. Why I always got the largest bed in the apartment whenever my siblings and I went somewhere was beyond me. It wasn't like I used it all that often. Of course, I was quite glad my siblings insisted I get the biggest bed this time. Naruto stretched out across the mattress, somehow taking up the entire bed with his small body. I watched him for a moment, the realization of how lucky I was finally hitting me. Here I stood, looking at the boy of my dreams on my bed, just begging to be ravished.

For a moment, I froze at that thought. It was one thing to dream about doing something like this to Naruto, but another thing entirely to actually go ahead and have sex with him. For once, I felt afraid. What if I wasn't good at this kind of thing? What if I hurt him? What if he didn't want to be with me for the rest of our lives? I started to step backwards as the thought of losing Naruto entered my mind. I don't think I could ever live with such rejection.

Before I got the chance to move away from the bed, Naruto sat up and grabbed my shirt, pulling me down on top of him. I didn't even get the chance to ask him what he was doing before he crushed his lips against mine, wrapping his arms around me so that I couldn't get away. He only released his hold on me when he needed to breathe. At that moment, I could see that he understood what had been going through my mind. "Baka…" Naruto said softly, softly running his fingertips along my jaw. "I've loved you…for years…nothing can change that…."

I let out a sigh of relief when I heard his comment. My previous fears left me as quickly as they had come and were replaced with all the feelings I had for the blonde. I pulled Naruto into a tight embrace, knowing I was unable to declare what I wanted to tell him for so long. I didn't know any words that could capture what I wanted to say. Naruto apparently understood my gesture from the smile I could see on his beautiful face.

I gingerly kissed those upturned lips, noticing how Naruto chuckled as soon as I started kissing every inch of his face. "Kawaii…" Naruto said softly, his blue eyes focusing on my red face. I couldn't help but pout slightly at his comment. No one except Temari had ever called me 'cute,' and the last time she had done that was when I was about…three. I decided that no one could call me that except for my blonde when I saw his smile. Of course, I wasn't going to let him get away with making me blush. I crushed my lips against his, forcing his mouth open with my tongue.

Naruto lay back down on the bed, pulling me down with him. I let my hands drift down Naruto's smaller frame, noting how he reacted to each touch. He made quite an interesting sound when I brushed my fingers along the noticeable hardness that was pressing into my abdomen. I slowly brought my hands back up to Naruto's waist and slipped my fingers underneath his shirt. A small part of me was glad that the blonde wasn't wearing his usual orange jumpsuit…I don't think I could have figured out zippers and buttons at the moment. Anyways, this outfit looked much better on him. The tiny pervert in me commented on how much better he'd look with nothing on and I couldn't help but agree.

I started pulling Naruto's shirt off of him, breaking off our kiss in order to trail my tongue against every inch of skin as it was exposed. The blonde gasped when I finally reached his chest, my mouth wrapping around one erect nipple while my eager fingers played with the other. As if Naruto's soft moans weren't enough to get my pants to feel a bit too tight, he started to untie the sash around my waist and quickly yanked my shirt off.

The perverted side of me couldn't help but watch as Naruto slowly pulled my pants down past my erection. Whether on purpose or on accident, Naruto's warm fingers brushed against my member and elicited a gasp out of me. The blonde smirked at my reaction as he continued to pull my pants down. I hastily kicked the thin fabric off when it got past my knees.

I couldn't help but kiss the blonde as I returned the favor, making sure I made the blonde moan as I accidentally trailed my fingers along his erection, playing with his already wet tip as my other hand ripped his pants off the rest of the way. For a moment, I pulled away from the blonde to look at his entire body. Despite the fact the room was almost pitch black, I could still see enough of his body to lose my breath. He was beautiful in every sense of the term.

Once I was able to breathe again, I kissed the blonde with a passion I didn't even know I possessed. Naruto eagerly returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around my torso while trailing his fingers along my back. If I hadn't already been close to coming, the next words out of the blonde made sure I was mere seconds away from it. "Make love to me, Gaara…"

I happily acquiesced to his breathless command. I reluctantly let go of his weeping member and brought my hand up to my mouth. I licked each finger, savoring the taste of the whitish fluid covering my fingertips. My blonde tasted even better than I imagined. Naruto whimpered softly, his blue eyes watching me slowly wet my fingers. From the need in his eyes, I knew I had unconsciously been teasing him.

I shifted my body so that I was sitting between Naruto's tan legs before I pulled my fingers out of my mouth. With one hand, I lifted Naruto off of the bed and onto my lap as I positioned my wet fingers at his entrance. For a moment, I looked into those impossibly blue eyes, searching for any sign of hesitancy. I smiled slightly when I found nothing of the sort in my blonde's face.

Naruto caught my expression and a broad smile came to his beautiful lips. I tightened my hand around Naruto's waist as I slowly pushed one digit into him, my eyes searching for any sign of pain in the blonde's face. The only reaction I could see on Naruto's face was surprise, which was replaced by pleasure when I started to slip my finger in and out of the blonde. Without warning him, I slipped another finger into Naruto. This time, he winced slightly at my actions, but the pain on his face was short-lived. Within seconds of gently stretching him, I heard Naruto gasp loudly. I, for once, thanked Temari for being a Yaoi-fanatic when I realized what I had done to get such a reaction out of my blonde. I continued stretching him, making sure I hit that particular spot each time.

When I was sure I wasn't going to hurt him again, I pushed a third finger into Naruto. I thanked Temari again when I saw only pleasure on his beautiful face. "Onegai…" Naruto panted softly, pushing his body so that my fingers penetrated him deeper than before. I bit back a groan as Naruto started moving in my lap, unconsciously grinding against my already hard member. If he had any idea how sexy he was being, Naruto surely wasn't showing any sign of it. I gently kissed his parted lips, swallowing his moan as I pressed my fingers against that sensitive nub one last time.

I gingerly laid Naruto down on the mattress, trying to remember everything I had read about sex. The little information I knew slipped my mind when I looked down at the blonde underneath me. I could see his skin had taken on a pinkish shade even in the darkness of my room. His entire body was glistening with sweat, his chest quickly moved up and down as he panted for breath, and his swollen member was just begging to be touched.

I slowly moved so that I was positioned in front of him. For a moment, I debated on whether or not to go slow, but my mind was made up when Naruto started shifting his hips so that he was brushing against my erection. "Don't stop," Naruto mumbled, opening his eyes so that I could see the need in those blue orbs. In one swift motion, I thrust into the blonde, finding only a little resistance to my size. Naruto threw his head back and moaned as I pulled his smaller body closer to me so that I was completely inside him. Kami-sama…I couldn't believe how amazing it felt to be inside him; he was so tight around me that I was sure I was hurting him, but he didn't make any painful cries, which I saw as a godsend.

"Gaa…Gaara…" Naruto whimpered my name as I stopped moving, letting his tight entrance get used to my member. I wrapped one hand around Naruto's member as I used the other to balance myself over the blonde. As slowly as I could, I pulled back and gradually thrust back into Naruto, sliding my hand along his erection at the same pace. "F-faster…" For a moment, I was sure I was going to come just from his demand. Not even in my dreams was Naruto this amazing…

I started speeding up, my eyes trained on his face so I could see any hint of pain, but there was nothing except desire. My rhythm became faster with each thrust and gasp from my blonde. I was so focused on pleasing Naruto that I didn't realize I had, at some point, started groaning. I realized how loud I was being when I saw the perverted smirk on Naruto's face. For a moment, I felt my face heat up, but I couldn't stop my vocalizations when I saw the change in Naruto's features. "Gaara…I'm…go-gonna…"

I bit back a cry as I changed the pace. With each thrust into Naruto, I felt his body tighten around me, his whimpers and moans sending a new sensation down to my lower body. I knew the feeling from my dreams, but it was nowhere near as powerful as this. I unconsciously tightened my grip on Naruto's weeping member as I drove into him a few more times, now unable to keep my rhythm.

With a soft cry, Naruto came all over my hand and abdomen. Seeing the look on his face was too much for me. Within seconds, I rammed into him one last time, screaming as I came explosively. For several seconds, all I could do was cry out, letting the waves of pleasure overcome me. It was definitely far better than my dreams, which always ended as soon as I came.

"…you're…loud…" Naruto panted as I slowly came back to my senses. I looked up at him and saw the smirk on his face. He lazily brought his hands up to my face, cupping my cheeks as he ran his fingers along my cheekbones. "…all of Konoha…must have…heard you…"

"Urusai…" I retorted wearily, my voice cracking slightly as I pressed my face into his warm hands. I couldn't help but smirk, though, when I heard Naruto chuckle. "Nani?" I asked curiously as I looked back up at him, noticing an evil glint to his eyes.

"What are we going to tell…your brother and sister?" Naruto asked curiously as he shifted his arms and wrapped them around my waist, pulling me down on top of him. I was too tired to fight him at the moment, so I let him cuddle with me. Not even my blonde would get me to admit I liked the way he embraced me, gently rubbing my back, as we laid there in comfortable silence.

"They've already figured it out…" I replied, trying not to hint at the fact they knew about my infatuation with the blonde underneath me long before I was aware of it. Of course, Naruto was smarter than he sometimes seemed. With one glance at his raised eyebrow, I sighed and continued, "They…had to wake me up…a few times…when I was…dreaming…"

"That's kind of weird…" Naruto said, a thoughtful look coming to his face. Almost immediately after, his face turned a bright crimson and he snorted. "If Iruka, Ero-sennin, Baa-chan, or Sakura woke me up…during one of mine…I don't know what I'd do…"

I couldn't think of a retort to that, since I probably would have to kill the four ninja if they had the opportunity to see my blonde - my lover - in such a state. No one but me was allowed to see him this way or else I knew I would have quite a few admirers to kill.

"Baka…" I stated softly, smirking when Naruto chuckled. He tightened his arms around me and sighed happily. I could see his eyes slowly becoming heavy, so I didn't say anything else as he gradually drifted off to sleep. As soon as I was sure he was asleep, I shifted so that I could pull the sheets down enough to throw over us. Temari and Kankuro would just have to deal with the mess I made on the covers tomorrow morning, I decided as I looked at Naruto. He looked angelic when sleeping. I couldn't stop myself from tracing his delicate features as I watched him sleep.

I didn't realize my own eyes were becoming heavy until it was too late and I unconsciously rested my head on my blonde's chest and fell asleep. For the first time in a very long time, I slept through the whole night without waking up once.

Yeah... last part was all Jessie-chan. Isn't she awesome?

Sorry it took so long to post this chapter! you guys still love us... right? cough

Anyway... I know this chapter focused mostly on Gaanaru... hehe. but we'll try to get back to the main pairing.

Review please!