Friends and Further 5
by thatreevesgirl/Lemon Drops
Starlight Kisses

A/N's This drabble is so fluffy that it will make you cough up hairballs just like your cat named Mr. Poofypants does (and Mr. Poofypants coughs up a lot of hairballs).

Taking a finger and drawing in the sand beneath himself, Naruto became rather frustrated as his picture kept collapsing in on itself, the granules of sand falling into the crevasse of the lineart. Naruto grumbled and muttered to himself before Gaara reminded his friend that it was nearing two in the morning, it wasn't like either one of them could see what Naruto was drawing that well in the midst of twilight anyway.

"I know, but it was good. Sai would have been proud," Naruto huffed and threw himself back on the cool sand, sprawling beneath the desert sky.

Gaara knew how much Naruto missed his teammate, it was something they didn't speak about often, but from time to time Naruto would mention Sai's name. Sai wasn't dead, but he had been placed on an undercover mission for a good portion of the last two years. It pained Gaara to know where that placement was, seeing as it was in an area near Suna with some of his own top shinobi, and having to keep that information from Naruto was difficult. The squad was doing well, and had recovered a lot of data for himself and the Hokage about the remaining rogue members of the Akatsuki. Since Gaara couldn't tell Naruto any of that he only replied, "Yes, I think Sai probably would be pleased that you are bettering your doodling abilities."

"Doodles? Hey, I was an artist too! I painted all kinds of stuff as a kid." Naruto neglected to say it was usually as a prank, and usually involved important Konohan landmarks, but Gaara didn't need to know that.

Gaara sat down beside Naruto, tugging the gourd off of his shoulder as he too found a soft bed of sand to lay down on. This had become a ritual of sorts. Naruto would visit Suna, or Gaara would visit Konoha, and they would spend a good portion of their time together just walking and talking, discussing everything which crossed their minds. Gaara appreciated and enjoyed their conversations, and he never lacked words when it came to speaking with Naruto. There was so much he wanted to say when Naruto was around, so every thought which popped into his head was promptly shared with the Leaf shinobi. They spoke about life, love, their jobs, duty, things which frustrated them, their dreams, and whatever else seemed important enough to mention. At this point, after nearly seven years of doing this, Gaara knew Naruto inside and out. There wasn't a secret they kept from one another, not anymore.

Gaara knew about how Naruto resented Sasuke for marrying Sakura (though he tried hard not to let that affect how he acted toward his teammate and friend). Naruto knew how Gaara had a great distaste for his brother-in-law, frustrated that Temari had forced him and the council to promote the foreign ninja to equal rank of his siblings. Having Shikamaru as an advisor was more "troublesome" to Gaara than whatever the lazy leaf-nin was always complaining about.

Gaara also knew how Naruto had applied to be a foster parent to some of the orphaned children in Konoha, and how it broke Naruto's heart when he'd been rejected, the council citing him being possibly dangerous and unstable. Gaara also knew that Naruto's stability with the Kyuubi was a just reason for rejection, the demon fox fighting hard in the last few years for his freedom from his human cage. Naruto knew about the extra staffing Gaara required as the Kazekage and how the council nearly made him step down after an incident where he couldn't protect the village. That was due to waning chakra, seeing as Gaara's chakra was no where near the levels it used to be when Shukaku was inside of him.

Their deepest, most well-hidden secrets were freely shared, and it was often the case that as soon as one of the young men had something to tell the other, they would take a trip to the other's village, spending a night, just like tonight, under the stars talking about whatever was bothering them. Naruto had visited Gaara out of the blue, so the Kazekage was sure there was something on his friend's mind, but he wouldn't push it, Naruto would tell him when he was ready.

They both laid and stared at the stars for a long time before Naruto cleared his throat and quietly began, "I'm a good person, right?" Gaara nodded his head, there was no doubt in his mind that Naruto was a good person, but Naruto added, "I got rejected again."

Gaara had been the one who sat Naruto down and explained to him why the council had good reasons for not allowing him to be a single foster-parent, and he was ready to begin the speech again when Naruto interjected, "I can't even teach. They won't let me have a squad of my own. Baa-chan supported me, but the council refused to let me take a team of genin."

Gaara could hear the hurt and pain in Naruto's voice, and though he understood some of the other rejections Naruto had received (Gaara knew that having a single parent who was as highly skilled as Naruto meant too many long missions and not enough time at home, it wasn't even about the Kyuubi in his mind), but this one was downright discriminatory. Naruto would have made a fine teacher, probably better than most in either of their villages. "Did they tell you why?"

"The blew me off, told me they wouldn't accept my resignation from the ANBU…but Gaara, I can't kill, can't do more than assist on assassination missions. Why do they really need me on a squad anyway? I think they're just keeping tabs on me, that's what they're doing." Naruto huffed and dug his hands into the sand, clearly irritated by the unfair rejection. "And like I said, I have Baa-chan's support, and Jiraiya's, and even Kakashi-sensei spoke on my behalf."

"They all respect you. Once a person knows you it's hard not to," Gaara replied, trying hard not to doze off in the soft sand beneath him. Naruto was saying something important, so he needed to listen, no matter how tired he was.

Naruto flipped over and looked Gaara straight in the eye. "If I transferred to Suna, would you let me teach?"

"In an instant," Gaara murmured sleepily, "But your village would never let you go, it is left unspoken in Konoha, but you are a weapon just as I was a weapon."

This disturbed Naruto, because more than anything he wanted to be seen as more than just a demon-container. His power, Kakashi had always told him, didn't come from the fox, it came from within Naruto. Naruto believed that with all his heart, which was why Gaara's words hurt so much…Naruto wasn't a weapon.

Gaara added quietly, "All shinobi are weapons, regardless of what they house within themselves. It is how you choose to act with your power which defines who a person is. If I were asked to describe you, Naruto, I would say you are a shinobi who protects and unifies, that is a very unique weapon, even more so since you do carry the Kyuubi."

Naruto sat up, looking at Gaara in the soft starlight, the Kazekage's dark rimmed eyes falling shut every few seconds, then being forced back open. It never ceased to amaze Naruto how their roles had been reversed in the last couple of years. Naruto worrying, Gaara reassuring him, believing in him, being the best friend he'd ever known. No one understood him like Gaara did, and no one ever said things as kind as the Suna leader. Gaara's eye drifted shut one more time, this time staying closed as sleep overtook him, exhaustion getting the better of the redhead. Naruto couldn't help but feel grateful to his friend who led a ninja village by day and still found the time to talk with Naruto far into the wee hours of the morning.

Naruto leaned over and squeezed Gaara's arm softly, "You are a good friend," he whispered.

Watching the slight rise and fall of Gaara's chest for a few minutes, Naruto realized something fairly significant. Of all the moments in his life, the happiest ones were almost all spent with the man next to him. Naruto didn't know what he did to deserve such a loyal friend, because Gaara never betrayed him, never rejected him outright. After the moment when Gaara acknowledged Naruto's existence (which wasn't long after they met, even during a time when Gaara rejected everyone), their bond had grown stronger than any other.

Not Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Iruka, Jiraiya, or Tsunade could claim to even have a sliver of what Naruto had with Gaara. It was true that Sasuke and Sakura were Naruto's teammates and friends, both Kakashi and Iruka were his mentors and a bit like big brothers, Jiraiya and Tsunade supported him, almost like an adopted son, but none of these people really understood the heartache Naruto had been through. Sasuke was too selfish, Sakura never gave him a chance, Kakashi and Iruka still had that barrier like many teacher and student relationships did, Jiraiya was too much of a loner and hermit, and Tsunade was too busy running Konoha. Gaara was the only one who never held himself back from Naruto.

Naruto wished for a moment that life was different, because if it was, maybe there could have been a certain redheaded female Jinchuuriki who Naruto would have fallen for. Maybe if Naruto had been born as Naruko instead it would have worked, but it hurt knowing that the person that Naruto loved…

Naruto's mind swam as it finished the thought which had sent his brain into a tailspin. Naruto considered it one more time…it hurt knowing that Naruto could never be with the person who he loved the most. Love? Did Naruto truly love his friend? That was a stupid question, of course he did, Naruto loved all his friends, but that wasn't what he was thinking a moment ago. Looking down at the sleeping Kazekage, Naruto understood exactly what kind of love his heart meant. It was a deeper love, a much, much more profound love, the kind he imagined he would feel for Sakura, the kind which made him never want to leave Gaara's side.

Naruto shook his head at the foolishness, he couldn't be in love with another man, that was ridiculous! Naruto was still scolding himself when he saw Gaara shift and yawn, falling back asleep a couple seconds later. Naruto blinked and watched Gaara slumber for a few more minutes, even allowing himself to reach out and run his fingers through the red tresses of the Kazekage's hair, learning that those crimson locks were much softer than they appeared. Naruto's hand trembled…no…he couldn't. The confused young man nearly ran off, until part of Naruto begged him to give this a chance, to confirm if what his heart was feeling was true.

Gaara, Kazekage of the village hidden in the sand, awoke when he sensed chakra closing in one him, only millimeters away. Gaara almost cursed until he realized whose chakra it was, but stayed silent as warm lips settled on his own. The soft, contented look on Naruto's face as he kissed Gaara, eyes closed, face relaxed, calmed the frayed nerves of the sand-nin. Gaara wasn't in danger, or maybe he was, because this was a rather dangerous situation in its own right. Gaara couldn't stop himself from wrapping a hand around Naruto's neck, kissing him harder, and Naruto returned the fervent embrace. Needing air, Naruto pulled away just a little and pressed his forehead to Gaara's, panting lightly.

Gaara almost said something until he felt small, wet drops fall from Naruto's face onto his own. Naruto gulped a little and drew back more, wiping the rogue tears from his cheeks before he stood up and walked to a spot several meters away, whispering a soft, "I'm sorry, Gaara," as he went.

Gaara, still in quite a bit of shock, couldn't deny how that kiss had made him feel. Temari was always going on and on about why love made you do stupid things. She was very adamant about how real love was the most powerful emotion a person can feel, and that Gaara wouldn't understand it until he experienced it for himself. Taking a gander, Gaara speculated that just a moment ago, when Naruto had kissed him, what Gaara felt was indeed the kind of love his sister was referring to. It was the kind which made you do stupid, stupid things, even want to kiss your best friend despite the fact that your friend was male. Naruto wasn't someone Gaara ever considered in that way, but he was considering now as he walked up behind Naruto and placed a hand on the other shinobi's shoulder. "You kissed me," he murmured.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Naruto replied quietly.

Gaara felt his heart ache at those words, "You're sorry you kissed me?"

Naruto didn't look at his friend, but instead did everything to keep his face turned away from Gaara. "Yeah, it was just…I don't know Gaara. Please don't be mad, I won't do it again."

A silence, which seemed to stretch an eternity, passed between the two men, until Gaara's hand gently urged Naruto to turn and face him as he whispered, "What if I want you to do it again?"

Naruto's hands rose to his face, wiping away what Gaara assumed were more tears, then spun slowly to face his friend. Naruto didn't say anything at first, but his fingers reached out and touched Gaara's cheek, cupping it lightly before asking, "Can I really kiss you again? You wouldn't mind?"

Gaara shook his head no, and just like so many years ago, when a small tendril of sand had urged Naruto's hand to shake Gaara's, that moment binding them in friendship and trust, another tendril of sand slinked around Naruto's waist and pulled the leaf-nin toward the Kazekage. The sand dropped away as once again, under the desert sky, forgetting any preconceived notions about who they were and what they thought they preferred, Gaara and Naruto kissed and embraced and forgot the rest of the world for a moment.

A/N's: The sixth part of the story is also out, but it is of the more naughty persuasion. Seeing as I abide by the rule set forth by this site, I don't post lemons here. My homepage in my person profile page will take you to my Livejournal. The chapter is posted there for your reading pleasure.