Chapter 2
"We're almost there," announced Kakashi as their small band stopped for a water break.
"Finally," said an exasperated Sakura.
Kakashi glanced over at the pink haired girl and saw that she was currently glaring at Naruto who had collapsed in the sand and was muttering something about needing food to be able to carry on.
"Oi, Naruto!" called Kakashi. The boy looked up at his name and at Kakashi's beckoning, picked himself up and slowly dragged himself over to the masked jounin.
"What's up Kakashi Sensei?" he asked in a weary voice.
"Naruto," Kakashi began as his single eye took in the sight of the usually overactive loud-mouthed ninja standing in front of him, "what's up?" Naruto's trademark grin was nowhere to be found and his large expressive blue eyes were filled with a strange emotion that Kakashi couldn't place. Even the boy's hair seemed to be drooping slightly.
The boy blinked at him for a moment before giving him a painfully fake smile and shouting in a forcefully happy voice, "Nothing Sensei! I'm just really, really hungry! I haven't eaten anything since breakfast and if I don't eat soon I'm gonna starve to death!"
"Right Naruto," said Kakashi sarcastically. "You'll die of starvation after only a few hours."
"Yeah," said Naruto as he nodded his head enthusiastically.
"What's really up?"
"Nothing," said Naruto, but Kakashi could see through his innocent expression.
"All right, if you say so. But don't get distracted and forget about our mission." warned the jounin.
"Yes Sensei," said Naruto. As Kakashi began walking again Naruto's face lost it's fake smile and he slowly followed his teacher's trail.
Seeing her teammate's dejected and down turned face, Sakura felt a smile tugging at her lips as she called out, "Hey Naruto!" The blonde looked at her questioningly but she just smiled and pointed in the direction they were walking.
Following her finger, Naruto saw that they had made it to their destination. At the sight of the gigantic walls of Sunagakure, Naruto happily shouted, "Yes! We're finally here!" A loud rumble from his stomach wiped the grin clean off his face. He let out a low moan as he clutched his stomach in pain, "I think I'm gonna die."
"Quit complaining," snapped the pink haired kunoichi as she smacked him on the back of the head, sending him flying into Kakashi's back. "We're finally here, you should be happy."
The others flinched slightly at the force of the hit, but internally they all cheered Sakura's unique way of shutting Naruto up.
"Did you have to hit me too?" asked Kakashi with a mock pout in his voice.
"Sorry Kakashi-sensei," said Sakura sweetly with an innocent smile on her face.
The sound of laughter made the seven shinobi turn their attention back to the gates. There, standing in front of the gates, was Temari. Stifling her laughter, but not her smile, she greeted them. "Allies from Konoha, welcome to Suna."
The large chorus of 'hey's and 'hi Temari's that ensued were followed by a low drawn out moan. Everyone's attention shifted to the source, Naruto, who hadn't moved from where Sakura's hit had sent him flying to.
Temari's smile disappeared as she worriedly asked, "What's wrong with Naruto? Is he injured?"
"Meh, he's fine," said Kakashi as he waved his hand dismissively. The rest of teams seven and eight nodded in agreement as they made their way towards Temari, the thought of being able to rest putting smiles on all of their faces.
"He's not moving," commented Temari as she pointed at the apparently now unconscious blonde.
Kakashi sighed in annoyance as he retrieved his starving student from the ground and hoisted him over his shoulder. "Temari, we need to make a quick snack break."
Her face hardening slightly Temari said, "I'm afraid that the Kazekage has ordered for me to escort you to his office immediately with no detours." Seeing a few of them getting ready to argue she added, "Please, he's settled down quite a bit, but it's still in everyone's best interests that his orders are obeyed."
Remembering exactly who the Kazekage was, they all dropped the issue and simply nodded. Anxious to get the meeting over with so they could all eat and rest they followed Temari towards the Kazekage's office, with Naruto still unconscious.
*******
A small smile of satisfaction formed on Gaara's lips as he put his signature and seal on the last document on his desk. Letting out a content sigh, he stood and stretched his cramped muscles. Plopping back down in his seat he munched happily on the second to last of the cookies that Temari had given him. Just as he finished it he felt his sister's chakra signature followed by seven others approaching his office.
When her chakra reached his door he called, "Come in."
Pushing the door open Temari ushered the Konoha ninja into the room. Filing in, the six stood at attention, with Naruto still draped over Kakashi's shoulder unconscious.
They all gave the red head bows of respect, as Temari reported, "As you ordered Kazekage-sama, the Konoha nin are ready for their assignment."
Gaara's nonexistent eyebrow rose in curiosity and he asked, "What is wrong with Naruto? Were you attacked?"
"Naruto's fine Kazekage-sama. He's just suffering from a hungry stomach and one too many hits from Sakura's fist," said Kakashi. "I'll wake him for you."
Before Gaara could respond, Kakashi had dropped Naruto on the ground. Crouching down beside the sleeping blonde, Kakashi rapped him on the forehead saying, "Oi, Naruto. Wake up."
Naruto's eyes fluttered open and he groaned.
"Come on," continued Kakashi pulling Naruto to his feet, "we're meeting with the Kazekage now."
Naruto's stomach let out a loud growl and Naruto opened his mouth, only to find Kakashi's hand clamped over it.
Giving the hungry blonde one of his eye smiles, the silver haired jounin added, "We'll get something to eat as soon as we're done here."
Naruto pouted, but nodded to show he understood.
Seeing he had everyone's attention, Gaara decided to begin. "Welcome to Sunagakure. This mission is only expected to take one to two weeks. You will be working with both Temari and Kankuro since they are familiar with most of your fighting styles." As he spoke, Gaara picked up the last forgotten cookie from the plate and began to nibble on it, trying to make it last.
Naruto's cerulean eyes immediately focused on the first item of food that they had seen in hours. He watched, completely transfixed, as the young Kazekage slowly nibbled on the very edge of the cookie. The red head's words created a background buzz in Naruto's ears that went completely unheard by the blonde jinchuriki. Naruto's world faded till all that remained was himself and the cookie in Gaara's hand.
Naruto's stomach gave a single low grumble and the reminder was all it took to push the Hokage-to-be over the edge. Without any other warning, Naruto launched himself over the gigantic desk separating him from the cookie, and landed in the surprised Kazekage's lap.
With his eyes still trained on the cookie, Naruto held his hands out in front of him and said, "Gimme cookie."
Gaara, who had entered a daze at Naruto's actions, was snapped back to reality by the blonde's demand. Holding the cookie in a death grip, he held it out of Naruto's reach as he cried, "No, my cookie!"
Narrowing his eyes, Naruto tried to snatch the cookie, but found his attempt thwarted when Gaara caught his hand. Growling, Naruto tried again with his remaining free hand. Anticipating this move, Gaara avoided the blonde's grasping hand long enough to put the cookie in his mouth. He then used his newly freed hand to capture Naruto's.
For a moment the two just stared at each other, Naruto's hands clasped tightly in Gaara's. The staring contest was broken when Naruto's eyes darted down to the cookie poking out of the red head's mouth.
Realizing what the blonde was about to do, Gaara's teal eyes widened and he jerked his head backwards just as Naruto lunged forward in an attempt to grab the cookie with his mouth. Their combined momentum was too much for the chair, which toppled over backwards with a loud clatter. The two boys landed on the floor in a tangle of limbs, Gaara still holding onto Naruto's wrists and Naruto still straddling Gaara. Somehow, despite his fall from the chair, Gaara had managed to keep the cookie firmly in his mouth.
With his back pressed firmly to the ground by Naruto's weight, teal eyes met cerulean blue ones and Gaara felt his lips shift into a smug smile around the edges of the cookie.
Naruto could only watch, his hands struggling against their restraints, as the cookie began to disappear into Gaara's mouth. Eyes wide, the blonde shinobi shouted, "Nooo! Cookie!" In a final act of desperation, Naruto grabbed the cookie with the only thing he could. His mouth.
Gasps of shock filled the office, but the seven shinobi watching didn't move. The majority of them were too stunned to do anything other than stare at the sight of the Kazekage pinned down and lip locked with the Uzumaki.
Gaara's eyes widened in shock and his body froze, his mouth opening slightly in a gasp of surprise as Naruto's mouth covered his own.
Naruto took complete advantage of Gaara's dazed stupor and pulled the cookie into his mouth. Humming happily to himself, the blonde sat up as he finished eating.
Blinking his eyes, Gaara focused on the smiling shinobi who was sitting on him and whose wrists he was still holding. Above him, Naruto finished with his cookie and seemed to realize exactly what he had just done. His eyes widened and his face became a shade of red worthy of Hinata. Before anyone could react he was off of Gaara and gone out the window.
Free of the extra weight, Gaara stood and turned his attention to the other seven shinobi still standing in a daze. "Leave." The single word was growled and it broke the three jounin from their stupor. Grabbing the four still stunned chunin; they quickly exited the office, not wanting to know what the blonde's punishment would be.
*******
Still holding onto an extremely red Hinata, Kurenai turned to Temari and Kakashi. "Will Naruto be all right?" she asked worriedly.
"I'm sure he'll be fine," said Kakashi with his eye curved in a smile.
Clearing her throat to snap the chunin out of their dazes, Temari said, "I'll, uh, show you to where you'll be staying."
"Should we go find Naruto?" asked Hinata as she followed the others away from the Kage's office. "He won't know his way around."
Apparently unable to contain herself anymore, Sakura suddenly yelled, "I can't believe Naruto just did that!" The others inched away from the pink-haired girl as flames appeared in her eyes. Turning to a cowering Hinata she finished, "Don't get worried about him Hinata, that moron deserves everything that's coming to him! Who cares if he gets lost!"
Trailing behind the others, Kiba dragged his feet along the floor. His hands were shoved into his pockets and his eyes were focused at nothing on the floor. "Idiot," muttered Kiba under his breath, falling farther behind the others. After a moments thought he mumbled, "Lucky idiot." Pausing, he simply stood in the hallway as he thought.
Naruto had already, inadvertently, done the hardest thing Kiba could think of. He had told the Kazekage how he felt about him, admittedly it was on accident, but Gaara still knew now. The only thing left was for Naruto to find out if the redhead felt the same way or not.
Sighing dejectedly as he thought of telling Kankuro how he felt, Kiba resumed his previous trudging down the hallway. Still not paying attention to where he was going, he rounded the corner and was hit by a body running in the opposite direction. The other person's momentum knocked Kiba flat on his back and all of the air left his lungs in a rush.
Struggling to refill his lungs, he found that the other person had landed squarely on his chest. Kiba tried to push the body off of him, but found it impossible with the way his arms were pinned. Unable to move or to even breathe enough to speak, he was stuck till the person on top of him moved.
Far too slowly for Kiba's lungs, the person lying on top of him pushed themselves up till they were sitting on the floor beside him. Not even bothering to look at the person, Kiba filled his tortured lungs with air and managed to gasp out, "Jerk." He became too preoccupied with simply breathing to add anything else.
"Who ran into who?" asked a taunting voice that Kiba had no trouble recognizing.
Opening his eyes, Kiba tilted his head to see Kankuro sitting on the floor beside him. Not really thinking about it he blurted out, "You ran into me!" He was then hit with a coughing attack that negated the use of the precious air for something as idiotic as talking.
Raising an eyebrow Kankuro observed the chunin still lying on the floor. "Oh really? Who wasn't looking where they were going?"
Having nothing to say to that, nor the air with which to say it, Kiba responded in the simplest way he knew how. He gave the older boy a one-fingered salute.
Getting slightly worried at Kiba's inability to catch his breath, Kankuro's brow furrowed in concern. Placing his hands on the smaller boy's chest he began feeling for any serious injuries as he asked, "Are you alright?"
Feeling the older boy's hands on his chest, Kiba felt his face heating up. Slapping the hands away from him he sat up abruptly only to find Kankuro had leaned forward. The two boys' heads whacked together with a loud crack and Kiba found himself on the ground again.
Rubbing his now sore head, Kankuro snapped, "Jeez Mutt. What'd you do that for?" Not getting an immediate answer he opened his eyes to look at the younger boy. Kiba was back on the ground, only this time his breathing was relatively normal and his eyes were unfocused. Getting worried again, Kankuro gently asked, "Kiba?"
Finally focusing his eyes, Kiba's face screwed up in pain as he slowly sat up. "Ow." With his hand he felt the part of his head that had been in the collision. He grimaced as he accidentally pushed to hard on the bump that was forming. Another hand pushing his away startled him into looking up. Kankuro had moved closer and was gently checking Kiba's head. Staring at the older boy Kiba could only manage a quiet, "Uh-" before he felt his cheeks heat up yet again. Kankuro was less than a foot away from him. His heightened sense of smell had no trouble picking up the larger boy's scent from that distance. He smelled of heat and wood and something Kiba couldn't quite recognize.
Kankuro brushed the other boy's hand out of the way so he could examine the area himself. Finding nothing serious he turned his attention back to Kiba himself only to find the boy staring at him with his mouth slightly open. Deciding to tease the smaller boy, Kankuro poked him in the cheek on his tattoo as he asked, "Mutt, are you blushing?" When the boy's eyes widened and the tattoos darkened, Kankuro could only blink in surprise before laughing.
Fighting to get his blush under control, Kiba growled and, slapping away the puppeteer's finger, clambered to his feet. The older boy followed his example still laughing.
His chuckles dieing slowly, Kankuro asked, "So mutt, where's Akamaru?"
Refusing to face the taller teen, Kiba began walking away as he answered gruffly, "He doesn't like the heat, so he didn't come."
The short rough answer made Kankuro's brow furrow in thought for a moment. The younger boy was acting odd. Crossing his arms over his chest he watched the other disappear around the corner. Kankuro could tell that something was up. Turning to continue towards the Kazekage's office he decided he'd figure it out later, the east border patrol's report needed delivering.