Ah there's nothing so satisfying as another chapter. Sorry for late update. In foreign country, didn't realize this site wasn't blocked...whelp now I know.

Chapter 6: Drunken Cheer

Gaara's eyes had been trained on Naruto since they had entered the restaurant and Neji was growing quite peeved. He had been dating the redhead for the past six months now, and he was not particularly happy at how the blonde was dividing his attention. The rest of the group was having a grand old time, but though Naruto was trying to laugh and smile he was clearly feeling down, and that was what had Gaara fuming.

Everyone noticed, but the purpose of this whole shindig was to cheer the blond up, so they laughed harder, told more jokes. Except Gaara and Neji, Gaara stared and Neji fumed silently. Naruto of course noticed both and it rose his hackles and made him feel defensive. That look of condescension was not one he had expected to receive from the redhead.

He had met Gaara in college, they'd been roommates and damn if the blond hadn't found the small man one of the scariest people he had met. Their double hadn't been big enough to contain all of the malevolence and malice that had radiated off of his new roommate.

"Hey I'm Naruto Uzimaki!" he had chirped. The answering death stare would have made a weaker man wet his pants. As it was Naruto did something he hardly ever did, he stopped smiling. He had looked more confused than anything, but then he shook it off and laughed, "Dude you gotta teach me how to do that! I haven't seen a death glare that wicked in my life. The redhead hadn't seemed amused but Naruto had shrugged it off. Later that week when Kiba had asked how he had managed to survive living with the scariest man in the universe Naruto had just shrugged, "Scary? I don't think he's so bad. He's actually really nice." Kiba had wondered then if the blond was actually right, or just that stupid.

It was actually neither. Gaara really was scary as Hell, but Naruto refused to admit it and in fact, pretended he didn't notice it at all. This method, though it appeared suicidal was actually effective. The redhead actually did warm up to Naruto and his antics. Well eventually he did anyways. Before that? Well let's just say it was a long year.

As it was though it had been a long time since Gaara had looked at Naruto with suxh derision. It persisted throughout the entire dinner until Naruto thought he would scream. Actually, he did.

"What the fuck are you looking at me like that for Gaara?!"

The restaurant fell silent except for Shikamaru muttering what a bother this all was.

"Just a pathetic little boy," Gaara retorted calmly, "But if you're going to throw a tantrum I suppose we should go outside to talk."

"If we go outside I'm going to bash your fucking face in for looking at me like that!" Naruto challenged rising out of his seat.

Gaara didn't seem the least bit frightened. He too rose out of his seat and calmly followed the belligerent blonde outside of the restaurant. "What the Hell is up with you staring at me like that! You think you're better than me or something?!"

Gaara's spared a moment to roll his eyes before answering, "No, I think you're better than you're behaving. Getting all wrapped up over a boy? That's not like you Naruto. You're not some school girl so why the fuck are you acting like one? It's fucking pathetic especially seeing as I've see you deal with way worse situations than a worthless asshole showing up after you ditched his ass."

Naruto looked away.

"Well Naruto? Why are you acting like a friggin' school girl huh?" Gaara's lips curled into a vicious snarl at Naruto's persistent silence and his fist flew out of nowhere knocking the unsuspecting blond onto to his ass. When Naruto still did nothing Gaara grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the brick wall of the restaurant. "Well!?" Gaara's voice rose, "I can continue to beat sense into you if you'd like. All in order to preserve our friendship of course, I simply refuse to be friends with someone who mopes over a boy of all things." Gaara said this last part very informatively and at last got a reaction out of his friend. A smile.

Naruto's eyes filled with laughter, and shoving Gaara away he dusted himself off. Gaara's face relaxed as well and he too smiled. "Ah, there it is." Gaara sighed relieved and Naruto laughed.

"Leave it to you, Gaara, to beat sense into me when everyone else lets me mope. You just can't leave a guy alone can you?" he smiled good naturedly and like that the tension was completely gone, "Well I guess I'd better pull myself together then since you have all put in some much effort."

Gaara's turned serious, "Seriously though. It's not worth it to stress yourself out over some boy so get over it already. You're stronger than that."

Naruto nodded solemnly, "Thanks," he said earnestly and pulled the shorted redhead into a quick one armed hug.

Gaara nodded, "Let's go back inside."

Upon returning to the group Naruto was truly in a different mood, a much better at that. Sakura, Kiba and companions all briefly wondered what magic Gaara had worked to so quickly succeed in what they'd been trying for the past few days to do, but they didn't question it in the slightest. Naruto was back to his old joyous self, and it seemed more sincere than it had in years. Sakura who had been with Naruto since the group home took particular notice and smiled in relief. Fucking Sasuke messing with her friend's head like that. She'd castrate the bastard if he ever fucked with Naruto again.

Naruto himself really was feeling better. He had all these people here who legitimately cared for him. People who didn't try and fuck with his head and didn't laugh at his feelings.

"Karaoke next?" Hinata suggested timidly, and everyone cheered.

Neji and Gaara walked up to Naruto, "Hey Naru, we're going to head home now, do you think you can handle yourself or should I beat you up some more?" Gaara checked, Neji's arm was wrapped possesively around his waist and Naruto noticed it with a laugh.

"Peeved at me for taking Gaara's attention neh?" He addressed Neji, whose glare did nothing but make Naruto smile wider as he in turn addressed Gaara, "Go sooth your boyfriend Gaara, I'm good here and the last thing I need is to face the wrath of a Hyuuga family." Naruto joked.

Gaara nodded and left with Neji, trusting the blonde to take care of himself.

Naruto turned to his remaining friends and with a fist in the air and a rousing cheer cried, "To the Karaoke Bar!"

It should be noted that Naruto could not sing. Heck neither could Kiba for that matter, and after his comment that the latter sounded like a baying dog, Sai was forced to go up and prove that he was no better. For someone who was incredibly skilled with the arts in general, well that skill did not extend into the realm of music. Hinata, Sakura, and Ino's side's hurt from laughing so much.

"I'm surre if I dwink a couple more beers I'll sound bedder," Kiba slurred and Naruto nodded.

"Alcohol makes everything look, sound, and taste better don't cha know!" he crowed and Shikamaru rolled his eyes, his arm casually around Temari's shoulders.

"Hey! Don't roll your eyes at me! It's your turn to sing!" Naruto tossed the mic to Shikamaru who promptly tossed it back.

"Too much of a bother Uzimaki, sing your own damn song."

Everyone laughed and fell onto the couches, "Can we get a pitcher of water in here please?" Hinata requested and everyone nodded, water was a good idea.

Things calmed down a bit then, as Ino went into an embarrassing story about how the last time Kiba got drunk he ended up at her house wearing nothing but a duck floaty, begging for a dip in her pool, "I don't even have a pool," Ino chortled and the room laughed as Kiba in turn told how at Ino's senior prom she had gotten so angry she'd dumped the entirety of the (spiked) punch bowl on her date's head.

"The poor guy didn't even know what to do afterwards and he smelled like booze and cherries for the next three weeks."

This prompted Naruto to tell how back in elementary school Sakura had hunted down every boy who dared tease her or Naruto and put fire ants down their pants. "You should have seen them beg for mercy when she cornered them! No one messed with us again. She was friggin' terrifying!" Naruto boasted proudly.

Ino nodded impressed, "That's my girl. I knew I liked something about you." The two girls high fived and more stories were shared until at last the manager came and informed them it was closing time.

"To the taxis!" Kiba proclaimed. "There is not a single soul here sober enough to drive home."

Naruto and Kiba shared a taxi as they lived in the same apartment complex. They arrived, paid the fare, apologized for their drunken loudness, and stumbled out of the taxi. They held each other tightly as they walked, both laughing and ridiculously drunk.

Everything was funny and they had to stop a couple of times to double over laughing at their own drunken humor more than once on the short walk up to Naruto's apartment. His apartment was the closest to the entrance so they arrived their first. They were still laughing until Naruto saw the figure in black perched against his door.

Kiba felt his friend stiffen against him.

"Hey Bastard!" Naruto chirped with mock cheer, "Why the fuck are you in front of my door?"

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