Chapter 13

"Grarr!!" Naruto yelled, aggravated. His patience was wearing amazingly thin and as he jumped onto another tree he realized that the sun was starting to come up. Gaara guessed that it was probably 4:00 am by now. Sakura and Naruto had been searching i all /i night and they were at a loss as the irritating Uchiha had practically or possibly disappeared off the face of the Earth. Gaara seemed happy about the whole disaster; he just slid from tree to tree calmly next to Naruto; a small smirk evident on the red head's pale face whilst on the occasion he would throw a glance at Naruto and it would turn into a brief but smug smile. Eye twitching, Naruto clenched his fists tight and frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly at the urge to smack the smirk right off the Kage's lips, but with the thought of Gaara's lips he almost froze, and controlled himself for once.

"Where the hell could that dumb ass Sasuke be?!" Naruto grumbled rather loudly to no one in particular, Gaara just rolled his eyes in annoyance; after all these hours and despite his smugness he was even wearing thin on the patience level.

"Why are you trying so hard to find him, Naruto? I can understand why i Sakura /i is acting and looking so desperate by this time but you have no reason to be, so why?" Gaara asked glaring at the pink-haired girl.

"If the bas… If Sasuke wanted to be found then we would've found him by now. I don't think he really wants to see anyone right now." Gaara tried to explain to the pissed off blond.

"I know that! I'm not an idiot and I know Sasuke better than anybody! But still…" Naruto stopped and jumped off the branch and landed on the ground. His head drooped and you could tell that he was exhausted, with good reason. Gaara followed and landed right beside Naruto; He didn't seem in the least bit tired because he was used to not sleeping, no thanks to a certain Shukaku.

"Naruto you seem really tired. You should get some sleep." Sakura muttered in a slightly defeated voice when she landed on the ground in front of them.

"NO! I don't want to go to sleep! What if Sasuke's in trouble? Then everything will be all my fault! What if h-" Naruto started; his voice growing to hysterical amounts only to be interrupted by Gaara.

"Even if you ended up finding him, what could you do to bring him back in your tired state? If you get some sleep you could probably have less trouble finding him." Gaara inquired and also looked at Sakura as he said this to emphasize that she needed sleep as well. Naruto just nodded weakly. Dark circles were starting to appear from under his eyes and his head drooped.

"Hai… Gaa-kun…" Naruto mumbled and then started to walk towards his apartment, his head still down sadly. After Sakura had shaken her head in dismay and started walking in the opposite direction; towards her house, Gaara turned on his heels and took his rightful place beside his kitsune. He was happy to be going back as he didn't really want to be looking for that raven-haired-horny-emo-bastard in the first place. He just wanted, actually, all he had wanted since they started was to go back to the house place and cuddle Naruto to death.

Gaara let his mind wander while they shuffled forward: He tried to think of something other than Sasuke. Mostly his thoughts just revolved around the idea of getting back to their house and then making Naruto more comfortable, making him happier. Startled, the Kage paused for a moment and Naruto just kept walking; the ignorance slightly stinging Gaara but hardly much at all. What had stopped him was the frame of mind he'd been thinking in; ' i Their House /i '. He knew that it was i Naruto's /i house and not his. But it almost seemed like he lived there; the way Naruto would always let Gaara sleep in his bed with him, and the atmosphere towards him, didn't make him feel like a guest at all. You know that feeling when that you get when you're in someone else's house for around the second time, and they just treat you like a guest? It was exactly the opposite. Warmth practically seeped out of the door way for the Kage.

Gaara paused in his walking when another thought struck him. But this thought made him upset and his body froze over completely this time making him start for more than a brief moment. It was the thought that had been clouding the back of his mind for quite a few days now. Naruto stopped in his walking when he realized that Gaara wasn't with him. He turned around to see that Gaara's body was tense and he seemed to be upset about something.

Gaara was a Kazekage and so he couldn't spend that much more time in Konoha. He had to get back to Sunagakure within a week, and that meant he'd had to leave Naruto and that terrified him; he couldn't really stand the thought of being with out the boy. When he first came here to Konoha he wouldn't have given a second thought to get up and leave the blond, but things were different now.

i b Why are they? /b /i A whisper of Gaara's old self seethed through his thoughts condescendingly. i b This situation wouldn't be nearly as compromising if you didn't spread your emotions so carelessly; you weak, idiot. Naruto doesn't care if you leave, stay or die. Obviously he still wants Sasuke; why else would he be out looking for him at three in the morning? /b /i

The Kage swallowed thickly, his eyes scanning the area around him in shock but not taking anything in. Of course Naruto would be upset if he left! Even if he did…still love Sasuke. Because, b-because Naruto if anything it was everything and Naruto had said he loved Gaara. That was enough, wasn't it?

Gaara's legs still wouldn't move as he imagined going back to Suna and not being able to see Naruto's glowing smile, to not be able to touch him, hold him, or even kiss him. The Kage shook his head roughly, trying to get rid of the saddening thoughts. He forced himself forward in a shaken but determined way; ignoring a worried look that Naruto gave him.

2:00 pm

Gaara had just finished taking a shower and had gotten dressed. The shower made him feel slightly refreshed and he sat himself on the couch in the living room. Naruto was still sleeping, snoring too though in an adorable way.

When the two of them had gotten in earlier that morning Gaara had picked Naruto up, the blond didn't even protest but the second he was off his feet he fell asleep. While Gaara had carried Naruto to bed, tucked him in and wished his sleeping form good night he realized how hard Naruto had been looking; it didn't feel like very much but Gaara was stronger than Naruto.

It was a vain thing to say but it was absolutely true.

They had been searching for a good six hours at least, jumping constantly from tree to tree and screaming out the boy's name.

A very, very, very, microscopic part of him felt guilty that he didn't help look for the raven-haired boy. Gaara just went along so he could be with Naruto. He was just observing the blond while Naruto was yelling for Sasuke and searching everywhere.

i 'Why the hell did Naruto go through all that trouble just for /i him? i Does Naruto still have feelings for that jerk? After everything he did?' /i Gaara paused in mid thought. i 'Does Naruto still have feelings for Sasuke? Does he still like him? Love…him?' /i those questions repeated in his head until he heard footsteps approach. He looked up to see a fully awake and cute blond in front of him. He stood up and looked Naruto up and down.

"Ohayo, Gaa-kun!" Naruto greeted cheerfully waving and giving Gaara a quick hug before he started to skip away.

"Where are you going?" Gaara asked before Naruto turned the corner of the hallway. Naruto spun his head around and stopped in the middle of a skip, he almost seemed to be floating in the air like he froze. Naruto smiled a bright smile at Gaara and giggled. Gaara almost flushed but he forced it back and kept his emotions in check.

"I'm gonna go take a shower, silly. Why do you want to come with me?" Naruto asked innocently; a cute pink blush spread across each cheek. Gaara quickly shook his head to Naruto and blocked all thoughts out before he had a nosebleed. Naruto pouted and fluttered his eyelids in a girlish way. If it was anyone else that did that Gaara would have crushed them with sand for being idiotic, but when Naruto did it he looked too cute… (A/N: Well what did you expect? Naruto is the ultimate uke-ness.)

Gaara shook his head again though and he shooed Naruto into the bathroom before he could do anything else. If Naruto had done anything then Gaara might've given in but he refused to give in to anything like that, even if it was amazingly tempting.

Naruto heard Gaara slam the door behind him when he was shoved into the bathroom. Naruto 'hmph-ed' and began to take off his clothes. He hopped into the shower and turned on the water, giggling as it ran down his back he wondered what would've happened if Gaara had taken up his offer. Blindly reaching for a shampoo bottle with soap running through his eyes he stopped dead; a shiver ran over his skin and he quickly stepped away from the water, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes while he scanned the bathroom jumpily.

Was that a ghost or something? He could've sworn he felt eyes on him.

At the moment Naruto stepped hesitantly back into the water his eyes adjusted and stopped on a crack in the tiling. Stepping forward he ran a tanned finger over it and heard a loud crash. Jumping from the sudden sound he stumbled out of the shower and the door burst open; revealing a disgruntled Gaara.

"What happened?!" the red head demanded though Naruto just ignored him and stared wide-eyed at the crack then back at Gaara who was now staring wide-eyed at Naruto.

Glancing down red spread completely over the blonde's face. He pursed his lips and grabbed a towel,

"GAA-KUN YOU PERVERT!" Naruto roared, whipping Gaara with the towel before the red head lunged away and Naruto tied the towel around his waist; lunging after him.

"Naruto, making piles isn't going to help much, especially piles of nothing in particular." Gaara sighed exasperatedly running a hand through his hair. After everything had calmed down the Kage had decided it was time to teach Naruto how to clean properly; he wasn't about to help as his side was still sore from towel-lash but Naruto needed to learn how to keep a clean house in order to impress other Kage's or at lease please them.

"But Gaa-Kuuuunnnn!" Naruto whined, pouting his lips. Gaara clamped his eyes shut, the ultimate defense and only defense against Naruto's ultimate adorableness. Though the flowery yellow and love waves still almost knocked Gaara over.

"Gaa-Kun…" Naruto whispered and Gaara flinched, not realizing how close the boy had gotten, though now his hands were on Gaara's shoulders.

"Please help me?"

Gaara swallowed thickly and opened his eyes sure enough he was met with joyful bunnies and bears dancing, flowers and shounen bubbles swarming around Naruto who's hands were now clamped together; his foot rubbing circles into the ground while his eyes were wide and watery and his lips, again, in the perfect pout.

Gaara slapped a hand over his mouth and followed the only instinct he had left; with blood trickling down his nose and his cheeks stained red he burst through the room and through the closest door; Naruto's giggles behind him.

However Gaara now ignored the blonde as he found himself in pitch black darkness; as he went to step forward Naruto threw open the door, though not even his joy and happiness lit up the area.

"Gaaaaaa-Kuuunn!" he cheered rushing forward. Gaara winced his eyes to see Naruto hovering in air, the boy looked down before disappearing from the Kage's line of sight as there were several crashes and bangs.

Stairs.

Gaara snorted and slowly made his way down the stairs, feeling along the wall for a light switch his fingers wrapped around one and he pushed it up; the lights flickering on just as a TV did; and there sat Sasuke, sipping from a soda bottle with a remote in his hand while he flicked through the channels.

"Yo." He stated simply and both Naruto and Gaara's mouths dropped open.

"What." Naruto started.

"The." Gaara continued.

"FUCK?!" They both yelled together.

"How- What are you- When did…- how long have-….. Huh?" Naruto rambled in disbelief. Sasuke just continued flicking through the channels on the T.V. Naruto kept babbling, but then something went 'click' in his mind, and then he glared at the Uchiha.

"So, i you /i were the one that was peeping at me in the shower!" Naruto squeaked and then thrust an accusing finger towards Sasuke. The raven haired boy gulped loudly at that comment and then a sweat ran down the side of his face.

"He did i what /i ?" Gaara said enraged. He glared daggers at the Uchiha and if looks could kill then Sasuke would have been long gone by now.

"Now Gaara don't get mad… I didn't know it was Naruto. I thought it was you! Wait… no that's not what I meant!" Sasuke tried to explain and slapped himself in the head for his stupidity. Naruto looked sort of hurt by Sasuke's explanation but it only lasted about two seconds. Naruto walked over to Sasuke and stood right in front of the Uchiha. The small blonde had to stand on the tip of his toes in order to whisper something into the taller man's ear.

"Bastard." Naruto whispered and then he kneed him in groin. Sasuke doubled over in pain and fell to the floor and he put his hands over his groin hoping that it would sooth the pain. The pissed off blonde quickly turned around and ran back up the stairs. Gaara chuckled at the sight and walked back up the stairs leaving the raven-haired boy rolling around in pain.

Naruto was storming around in circles right in front of the door. Gaara exited the basement and closed the door, locking it. Gaara smirked evilly. ' i I don't think he's going to be rebirthing his clan any time soon. /i ' Gaara thought amused before turning towards Naruto, who was starting to rant.

"There's a fucking hentai bastard in my basement, which I didn't even know I i had /i until a few minutes ago. He's been peeping at us in the shower and he's wasting my electricity by watching that damn television. And it's the same bastard that he had been searching all night, last night for. He's been in my fucking house the whole time! Dammit! I swear I wanna fucking kill him." Naruto huffed and then walked away towards his bedroom. Gaara sighed and then followed him cautiously. A hyper-active, impatient, very loud, and easy to angry Naruto throwing a hissy fit is never a good thing…

Pausing at the door to the bedroom just in time to see Naruto throw the bed through the wall Gaara flinched his way over to the blonde and settled his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Naruto—"

"RAWR!"

Realizing he wouldn't silence him that way Gaara rolled his eyes and tugged Naruto toward him by the collar; meeting him halfway by the lips. Naruto froze completely, though after a moment his lips eased into Gaara's and he wrapped his arm's around the Kage's neck comfortably.

Gaara opened his eyes for a moment, rubbing his tongue along Naruto's bottom lip while he scanned the room for the bed; instead through the open crater in the wall he noticed at least a hundred girls.

Immediately Gaara broke away from Naruto who stood with his lips parted and his eyes still closed, leaning forward and jolting up when no one was there the blond blushed crimson and coughed to cover up his mistake; turning to see what Gaara was eyeing his own eyes went wide;

Yes, there were in fact a hundred girls if not more; they were all dressed around the same with different tones of odd colored hair, all their hands were clasped together and hearts took shape in their eyes.

The front-wo-man Stood with one hand on her hip; the other arm she raised slowly in the air with her finger pointing to the sun. Gaara's eye twitched from the terror he knew so well. Her finger curved around suddenly;

"S!" She chanted followed by ninety nine other 'S's

"G!"

"F!"

"C!" She paused and the echo of the others rang through the daylight.

"SHAN'S GAARA-CHAN FAN CLUB! HYOOOO! ATTACK!"