Chapter 11

Gaara shows emotion!?

Light had barely risen over the horizon when Naruto woke, he woke to the sight of a familiar Hyuuga next to him. He smiled. Not his usual goofy grin that would make anyone he knew frown and shake their head but an actual smile. Thinking he could get used to this sight Naruto kissed Neji's cheek and rose from the bed. Stretching the blonde quietly snuck to the bathroom to do his business. He had his morning routine that had yet to be changed. Even at Neji's house, he would wake up, {be interrupted by Shizune with breakfast} take a piss, wash his hands, {then serve Neji his food}. Now that he thought about it… Naruto was Neji's bitch!!

Naruto washed his hands and sighed. Looking in the mirror he ruffled his own hair. How had he fallen so far as to be dominated? Shaking his head, Naruto left the bathroom only to hear a soft knock at the door. The blond blinked and crossed the room to the door. Upon opening it he found Gaara with his usual look standing there and looking at him.

"Breakfast…" the redhead stated mono-toned.

"But it's early…"Naruto whispered not wanting to wake him sleeping partner.

"Let him sleep" Gaara said with almost a hiss, " And eat breakfast I'll have Temari wake him later."

Naruto blinked then looked at Neji, " Alright let me put some clothes on then."

Gaara nodded and closed the door letting Naruto have his privacy. Waiting, he began to wonder what exactly had happened to make his voice crack in such a manner. He was one without emotion. Or so he thought. Unexpectedly he had begun to show emotions, like worry, and dislike. He pondered on them but never quite knew what it was. When Naruto emerged from the room he was wearing lose fitting pajama pants, not boxers like when he answered the door, and a white t-shirt.

"Okay…. Lead the way…" Naruto yawned and stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Gaara nodded and began walking down the hall. He had the cook make a suitable meal for Naruto and his companions. Unlike Naruto, everyone else woke at the butt crack of dawn and ate then began patrol with the Sand ninja. Naruto yawned, and stretched down the hall, making Gaara slightly annoyed with all the constant noise.

"Are you done?"

"Hm?" Naruto blinked and stopped mid-stretch.

"With all the grunt and stretching, are you done?' Gaara said not even turning around, not like his voice showed he was annoyed anyway.

"Oh um… yeah… Sorry" Naruto apologized.

"Thank you…" Gaara said as he pushed the dinning room doors open.

Naruto looked at the table in awe he had ramen made just for him!? Normally the blond would have yelled for joy but since it seemed Gaara was already stressed, as it seemed, he didn't want to cause a headache. Instead the blond fox, sat down at the table and poured himself a bowl of ramen before saying his blessings. Gaara sat down and just watched. Oh how this blond enigma confused him. He, in a sense, was like a brother to Gaara or even a gift. He always did have a strange power over people that Gaara had noticed. No doubt even the Hokage had realized this by now. It was no wonder why he was a great ninja. A knuckle head but still a ninja. Kankuro took a step into the dinning room and smiled. Oh this was cute. Blondy was going at the ramen and Gaara was looking at him puzzled. Wait…. Gaara looking puzzled?!

"Holy hell…." Kankuro said aloud.

Gaara lifted his head and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Oh um… Your duties start soon… that and Tamari has been looking for you."

Gaara nodded and got up from his seat.

"Come by my office later Naruto we will discuss your situation there."

Naruto nodded with a mouthful of noodles. This blond was just so weird. Leaving the dinning room Gaara took his time heading to his office. He would have lots of paperwork to sign and go over but he needed to make time for Naruto so that they may discuss his situation. Not only that they needed to discuss his housing and how he would be protected each day. He definitely did not want Neji lagging around with him. Neji was a ninja and as such Neji would do as he said and patrol with the others. He was content on making sure that happened.

Naruto finished her 3rd bowl of ramen by the time Neji had wandered into the dinning room with Temari. The Hyuuga smiled and sat next to Naruto giving him a small kiss on the cheek, pretending to have leaned over to grab something.

"Good Morning Naruto"

"Morning Neji!" Naruto smiled and continued to happily eat his ramen.

Temari chuckled and looked at Kankuro who was dumbfounded.

"Something wrong?"

"Yes and no…." Kankuro looked at his sister, " We'll talk about it later k?"

Temari nodded and walked with her brother out of the room. Neji watched his love eat and smiled. It was amazing how much he could eat and still he wasn't as fat as… Well, you know who. It was feared that even at a great distance that is Choji were called the F word he would be on you like a swarm of bees! He didn't even dare think it! Okay he thought it but he wouldn't dare say it.

"Did you sleep well, Naruto?" Neji asked as he served himself a bowl.

With ramen noodles hanging out of his mouth he smiled and nodded, " Uh huh!"

Neji chuckled and smiled, watching Naruto slurp up the remaining noodles. Slowly eating Neji had come to realize that there was something strange with him. He… hadn't he just been injured!? Glancing at his shoulder, Neji frowned.

'I will have to check when I return to my room…' Neji thought as he finished his meal.

"Hey Neji?" Naruto looked at him and frowned, " Is something wrong?"

"Oh huh? Um no I'm okay" Neji smiled and stood, " Excuse me for a moment."

Naruto stood as well and nodded, " Oh um alright I have to go meet up with Gaara any way… See ya later"

Neji leaned in and kissed Naruto softly and nodded, " Alright."

He definitely didn't want to suddenly just leave and not give his blond a kiss good-bye. Neji hurried to the bathroom and pulled off his shirt. Staring at the bandages in the mirror he sighed.

"I should still be healing… but it's not even hurting"

Slowly Neji unraveled the bandages. He was nervous and afraid of what he might see. Naruto had cared for his wound over several days and as each day passed, he began to forget he was even injured until now when he realized…. He'd forgotten completely. Neji hesitated while unraveling the last bit that would show the wound. Taking a deep breath he pulled it away. Much to his surprise, the wound was nothing more than a scratch and scar tissue.

"This… This should still be healing!" Neji exclaimed, " Impossible!"

Neji felt the wound and checked his ability to move with no restraints.

"But how?"

Neji sat on the edge of the bathroom tub and began to think. Naruto had treated his wounds. Naruto was always a fast healer…. Nah, he couldn't have pushed that kind of chakra through him into Neji… or could he?

Naruto, knowingly , had used the nine-tailed foxes healing ability to heal someone he cared for. But why didn't he bother to tell Neji?

"If I ask him … he probably won't say anything" Neji sighed and pulled his shirt on, throwing his unneeded bandage away.

In the Kazekage's office, Naruto sat in an odd silence. One that consisted of Gaara staring at him and of Naruto's nervous laughter. It was odd to say the least.

"Erm… Gaara?" Naruto finally spoke, " Are we going to talk at all?"

Gaara stare intensified.

"He hurt you…" Gaara stated bluntly.

"Erm who?" Naruto asked a bit shocked and nervous.

"Hyuga and Uchiha" Gaara's voice was almost a his as he spoke both names.

"What!? How did you know about Sasuke?"

"How else? Lady Tsunade filled me on that… but she never said I'd have to protect you against one of your own"

"Neji?" Naruto blinked.

Only then did he remember the wound he had received from Neji's jealousy. Then it struck him that Gaara still had heightened senses. There was no doubt now, the Kazekage had smelt the blood and labeled death onto Neji.

Naruto's eyed widened, " No! Gaara it's nothing like that he was just messing around and it got a little out of hand…" Naruto blushed and gave a nervous laugh.

Gaara stared at his friend. At this moment he felt… emotion? It was a wave of worry, mistrust toward Neji and the urge to protect Naruto from all others. He at least owed that one to the blonde. Finally, Gaara sighed.

"You two need to keep separated at night… I want no repeats of this 'messing around'. As for you situation… No activity has occurred anywhere near our boarders as of yet. If Lady Tsunade's plans went as planed they won't even know that your location has changed."

Naruto nodded, " Right…"

Temari snickered from behind the office door. So it was true. Her little brother was changing and he had no clue. Though she was sure of one thing, whether Kankuro liked it or not Naruto was easily becoming part of the family. There was a brother complex there that was unmistakable to all those who saw it. Temari only hope now that Gaara would learn to sleep.

Naruto sighed and left the office without being dismissed by his host. He suddenly had a lot on his mind. Leaving the Kazekage's home, Naruto began walking around the town. It wasn't small but it wasn't nearly as pretty as Konoha. The blond smiled as he came to a small park with a fountain in the center. It seemed deserted though. Then again, it was early. Sitting down on the coble stone, Naruto leaned up against a building in the shaded area and sighed. Closing his eyes, he began to relax. Drifting slowly into sleep, the blond's body relaxed. Maybe his dreams would clear up his thoughts but in hoping that Naruto would have to face his issues in his dreams.

Blue eyes opened to the moon glaring down at him. How long had he been sleeping? Looking around Naruto began to panic as the ominous presences that loomed over him. Readying his body for any attack Naruto didn't expect the attack that was now occurring. Someone had him in their ours, holding Naruto from behind.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked with a blush.

"Don't you know?" The voice spoke.

Naruto's eyes grew, " Sa-Sasuke!"

Sasuke smirked and tilted the blondes head, " Why are you so surprised?"

The blond then began to wriggle in those arms until he was thrown to the ground. Naruto landed on his back and growled from the pain. Sasuke slowly walked up to Naruto, staring at him before straddling him and squatting down. Sasuke smirked and touched his pointer finger to his own lips and tapped.

"Are you afraid of me?"

Naruto turned his head to the side and frowned. Sasuke stared at the markings on Naruto's neck.

"He's a dead man…" Sasuke growled and stood up.

Suddenly unable to move Naruto panicked and screamed. He knew what he meant.

Neji blinked as he heard Naruto screaming. It didn't take him a minute to realize Naruto needed help. From the his office Gaara heard the blonde's high pitched scream and stood up abruptly.

Neji activated his Byakugan as he ran, to easily find the blond. In a matter of minutes, Neji was running toward Naruto who was kicking and screaming… but also crying. Neji stopped, his eyes going back to normal as he knelt in front of his beloved.

"Naruto?" Neji asked putting his hands on his shoulders.

"Please! Don't kill him!" Naruto cried obviously still dreaming.

Neji studied his face then bit Naruto's shoulder enough to shock him out of his nightmare. Little did Neji realize that he had broke the skin. Naruto's eyes open and he winced in pain.

"Naruto?"

"N-Neji?"

Smelling the scent of blood as he rounded the corner, he glared at the man kneeling before Naruto.

"You hurt… Naruto" Gaara hissed, his sand shooting at Neji.

"What are you talking about?" Neji glared as he jumped back.

"He's bleeding I can smell it…. I smelt it last night too. You hurt him" Gaara continued his assault toward Neji purposely driving him father away from Naruto.

"Gaara!" Temari huffed as she came into view.

She suddenly froze as she watched her brother.

"Temari take Naruto and take care of his wound…"

"What are you talking about Gaara?" Temari asked.

"GAARA!" Naruto screamed standing up.

The red head turned to a raging blond who walked up to him swiftly. Suddenly a tanned hand came crashing down crossed his face, breaking the sand skin he wore. The sand dropped to the ground as Gaara stared at him wide eyed.

"Gaara listen… When I got here Naruto was having a bad nightmare so I bit him to shock him out of it…." Neji huffed a little from running around and dodging.

"He didn't hurt me" Naruto sighed, " Besides… He loved me too much to hurt me."

"Love…." Gaara blinked as Naruto crossed to Neji and made sure he was okay.

Temari laughed and smiled.

"Kankuro is going to be sad he missed this… Our baby brother was worried, mad, then surprised ass in one day. This must be a good sign!"

Gaara simply glared at Temari, then stared at the two love birds before walking away. He felt a rush of depression come over him. Maybe it was what you called feeling bad. Naruto watched Gaara leave then frowned and went after him.

"Hey um Gaara…" Naruto said as he caught up to the red head.

"Hn…"

"Thank you…. Even if he wasn't the enemy… Thank you for trying to protect me" Naruto then hugged the red head catching him off guard.

Standing there and being hugged, Gaara stared at him. What was he supposed to do.

"This is about the time you hug me back Gaara" Naruto laughed.

Gaara secretly smiled and hugged Naruto back. To him, this was his brother too. Temari and the Neji watched from around the corner. Although Njei didn't like Naruto hugging another man he knew this bond was different.

"He's like our second little brother you know" Temari said, stating the thought that was on Neji's mind.

"He was only protecting his family…" Neji smiled lightly thinking, 'I get it now…'

Naruto smiled and waved at the two, " Come on guys I'm hungry!"

One thing that seemed to bother the three. Why was he screaming? Neji sighed, he'd have to wait to ask what he was dreaming.

Meanwhile Sasuke hissed and held his head. Sitting up he glared death onto nothing.

"My, my, Sasuke... AHve you been invading people's dreams again?"

"Shut up!" Sasuke growled and stood up.

Neji was going to die sooner or later. He would make sure that Neji did not touch what was his ever again.

Woohoo! I thought I'd never get that finished! Anyways!

Next Chapter: The Failed Attack!