Sweltering Chapter 5: Spring in Konoha, a naruto fanfic

AN: I'm sure many of you will be happy to see this. Happy Mother's Day to any of you with little ones. :)

Spring in Konoha:

Gaara pressed a palm against the thick trunk feeling the bark twisting into a gnarly branch low enough to make him duck. A wide umbrella of blossoms leaned out toward him and he pressed his nose against it and inhaled.

"This is our town pride," Tsunade smiled, hand arching toward the tree while the long sleeve of her kimono waved behind her like a flag.

"These would not survive in my land," he said, pulling away. He traced the star shape with his eyes, noting the deep red at the heart of the flower and the pale petals reaching out toward the sun. "They're beautiful. Thank you for sharing this."

Tsunade smiled, a quick flash of teeth. "The party hasn't started yet. Let's go. The ranks must be impatient to start the festivities." He now recognized the small blossoms woven into the green fabric, spiraling from her shoulder down to the tips of her sleeves. The same silvery star shape clustered along the edges of her blush colored obi.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, when he did not step forward.

Gaara shook his head and followed her. "I was admiring your kimono, Hokage-sama. Your cherry blossom is quite lovely. These motifs are not so common in Sunagakure." Her pink tinted lips curved.

"I will accept that compliment. But we must go. It would not do if we were late to our own welcoming ceremony."

Gaara smiled, and stepped forward. He glanced down at his own plain kimono with no small degree of self-consciousness and hoped it would suffice.

The assembly was nearly complete by the time Naruto reached the park. He slipped into the ranks, breathing a sigh of relief when he realized they hadn't started yet. He looked around cautiously to see if anyone else was scrambling to get there on time and was disappointed when he was one of the few. He squinted as he looked toward the front, but Tsunade was too busy to take note of who was and was not there. Naruto's stomach flip flopped when he noted the guest she was busy talking to. The Kazekage was next to her, nodding politely while Tsunade pointed out sections of the park. Gaara gazed on the white popcorn-like blossoms calmly. His crimson hair burned like a torch, above his pale skin and the dark kimono trailing down to his feet.

Naruto had never seen him wear the garment as shinobi seldom received the chance to wear full kimono. It wasn't mobile enough for battle. Naruto noticed the Hokage too was dressed up in a pale green kimono. He felt under dressed in the simple formal robes designated to shinobi.

With a quick glance he confirmed everyone was wearing the standard uniform. Ino had pinned flowers to her hair and a few girls wore their hair up with small colorful accessories poking out, but otherwise they looked the same.

"You were late this morning," Sai whispered to him. Naruto had almost forgotten he was there. He was so unaccustomed to seeing his teammate with normal clothes on.

"I slept through my alarm," Naruto muttered, wondering how he had managed to turn it off without realizing. Maybe he had enjoyed that dream a little too much. He glanced at the front stage again, frowning when the Kazekage's light green eyes swept over the crowd. Naruto lowered his gaze.

"Good dream?" Sai smiled.

Naruto ignored him.

"Shh, I think they're starting," Sakura whispered harshly on Naruto's other side. Naruto noticed the large basket next to her and realized it was their lunch for the afternoon. He fingered the strap of the small bag in his hand.

The guards on duty were particularly alert. A few chuunin ran around yelling orders to the crowd. Tsunade turned her attention to her audience and when the whispering finally died down and silence descended on the field, she raised her voice in greeting. Naruto tried not to zone out while she droned on about friendship and peace, etc, etc, but his gaze kept wandering to the Hokage's guest. There was something different about Gaara and he couldn't place his finger on it. He didn't look exceptionally taller, his hair was about the same length and his skin was the same pale shade it always was. The difference had to be that he was not in his kage's robes, nor did he wield the large gourd that was his best weapon. The kimono made his body look different somehow, the shoulders wider and the obi at his waist emphasized his slenderness. Gaara's eyes seemed to shift in his direction and Naruto, startled at being caught, tried to steel his face into quiet attentiveness.

He shifted his focus to Tsunade and tried to keep it there. He tried to concentrate on her words and not the fact that he had been caught ogling the Kazekage. He nodded in agreement to her words on cooperation and the tools necessary for peace. He nodded while his thoughts wandered to the figure in his peripheral vision. Was the Kazekage just as aware, just as self-conscious as he was at this moment? Was he just as troubled by the distance between them or had he meant what he said at their last parting? Naruto tried to calm the nervous thumping of his heart.

Memories of his dream floated back to him and something flipped in his stomach. His body flared with the memory of desire and his gaze shifted to the regal figure standing proudly next to Tsunade. He was riveted by the rosy mouth moving to impart words of thanks. He hated that he was forgetting what it felt like to have that mouth on his and could only grasp for the memory through dreams.

Naruto blinked rapidly when the first ninja broke their ranks. He looked around hurriedly, realizing that he had missed the closing lines. Sakura bent forward and picked up her bundle. They waited patiently while the lines before them filed out. Naruto tried to keep track of the things around him, but he strained his neck to see the events on stage. He caught a final glance from the Kazekage over his shoulder. Naruto wanted to wave at him or smile or do something to grab his attention. But the other man turned too quickly and Naruto watched, frustrated, while Tsunade disappeared with the Kazekage in tow.

Gaara stepped across a small stone bridge that banked a stream running through the garden. It's slow current bore along the petals and occasional whole sakura blossoms shedding from the orchard. The servants in their plain gray and light blue kimono bowed as they entered the private picnic area. Gaara admired the dishes set out for them beneath the cherry tree, awed by the round and square ornate lacquered boxes set in the middle of the bamboo mat.

Gaara waited for Tsunade-hime to sit. She waved him to his seat and he kneeled onto the mat, careful to tuck his robes beneath his knees.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you're of age for this," Tsunade smiled, holding up a ceramic bottle by its slim neck. The character for "sake" was scribbled in thick, rounded strokes to which Gaara inclined his head. "Then allow me to pour you a measure."

Gaara glanced at his setting and picked up the small rounded cup in both hands. He held it up to the Hokage, watching as she tilted the bottle carefully and observed the manner in which she poured.

"Thank you for your hard work this past year. I hope the coming year will prove equally fruitful."

"Nn," Gaara agreed, taking back the cup. "May I extend you the same courtesy?" he asked and Tsunade smiled and handed him the bottle. She raised her glass to him and he tugged the kimono sleeve up a little in imitation of her, not yet accustomed to the way the sleeves fell. He poured the clear liquor into her cup slowly. "I hope our partnership may flourish as beautifully as your garden," he said. He filled her cup a little more than she had his, remembering her fondness for the drink.

He settled the bottle on the pale brown mat. He lifted his cup and they clinked their clay cups together gently. "Kampai," Gaara said quietly in unison with Tsunade's more enthusiastic cheer. He sipped the liquid, ignoring the burn down his tongue and calmly placed the cup back down. He glanced around the orchard and tried to concentrate on the scene around him and stop wondering what was happening beyond its walls.

Naruto stuffed another dango into his mouth. His tongue lapped up the dark syrupy sauce, and he chewed the treat slowly while his eyes focused on the guards standing off in the distance. He calculated two before the gate directly, another behind and two more standing watch from the trees. Five guards for two kages. The odds were not bad.

Still, that was five guards for the front gate and he was certain there were more spread out along the walls. And that was to say nothing of Tsunade-baba's wrath should he be caught sneaking into the Hokage's private garden.

Naruto snapped back to attention when Sakura's hand waved in front of him.

"Earth to Naruto," she said, leaning forward and waving her hand close enough to nearly swipe his nose. "Where have you been? Have you listened to our conversation at all?"

"Wha?" Naruto muttered around the dango stick.

"I asked why you were late this morning." Sakura sat back in her spot. She looked at him expectantly and Naruto realized that Sai too had been waiting for the answer. Naruto grabbed another stick of dango and stuffed it in his mouth. He avoided both their looks and commented on the quality of the dumplings.

"Naruto," Sakura warned. "What happened?"

Naruto ran a hand through his hair. It felt odd not to wear his hitaite and he tugged on a lock that refused to go down. He pulled the dango out of his mouth and twirled the stick in his fingers.

"I couldn't sleep last night, okay?"

"But you're usually an early riser. I've never known you to oversleep before. How late did you stay up?" Sakura asked.

Naruto pressed his lips together, wondering how many hours he spent staring at his ceiling after the sun rose. "I didn't check the clock really. But I assure you, it was a glorious sunrise this morning!" he smiled.

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed. "What happened?"

"Nothing," he grumbled. He tilted his head to the side and glanced at the garden wall. "I was thinking is all."

"You two haven't talked yet?" Sakura asked more quietly. Sai leaned forward to hear their conversation better.

Naruto shook his head. "That's the thing. We usually don't. Through most of the year we have no contact with one another and then we pick up where we left off the next time we do. For all I know, he doesn't want to see me." Naruto stuffed the dango stick back into his mouth, pouting around the slim wooden protrusion.

"When Ino is angry with me I visit her anyways. I let her yell at me for a little bit and tell her I completely agree with her. Then I kiss her right away before she can continue. It's very effective," Sai offered.

"Thanks for the unsolicited advice Mr. Smarty-pants, but forgive me if you're the last person I want relationship counseling from. It's your fault things got so messed up in the first place," Naruto grumped.

"What did I do?" Sai asked Sakura.

Sakura glared at him and grabbed the box of dango before he could grab another. "Don't be a jerk. You're the one who acted immature."

Naruto looked down at his lap and sighed. "I know that, but it doesn't make things any easier for me now, does it?" Sakura was quiet. She moved forward to put a comforting hand on his knee.

"Talk to him, Naruto. Tell him how you feel. It took you long enough to figure it out. The least you can do is tell him." Naruto nodded to her and Sai, who blessedly had nothing more to add.

"And say what? Gee, I like you, let's hold hands before you leave for another year?"

"That hasn't stopped him from having feelings for you before," Sakura reminded him. Naruto nodded, but some niggling worry at the back of his mind whispered small doubts and fears that crossing this line would change things.

Peals of laughter broke out at the party a few yards away. Naruto ignored it, fingering a blade of grass beside the mat instead. He wanted to tell Gaara his feelings. He half hoped Gaara didn't mean what he said about never bringing it up again. At the same time he hoped for it and clung to the thought of their friendship being safe.

"Yo," a familiar voice interrupted. Naruto looked up and Kakashi smiled at them. He leaned against the tree, one hand waving while the other held a bottle of liquor. "I thought I would greet my team."

Sakura sighed. "Don't lie, Kakashi. We all know you just got here." She slid over to make room for him on the mat. "Is that sake? You know we're not old enough to drink that!"

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, some of us can enjoy a little and if you sneak a sip, I won't tell anyone," he whispered. Sakura shook her head.

"That stuff is fowl," Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Jiraiya would come back some mornings and reek of it. And once we mixed glasses and he took my water and I got his liquor by mistake," Naruto stuck out his tongue. "Really. You guys go ahead." Kakashi pulled out the glasses and began pouring for himself and Sai. Naruto tried to pay attention, but his eyes couldn't stop wandering back to a distant gate.

Gaara put down his glass when he felt the liquor course through his body. His head felt light as air and the world seemed a little less focused around him.

"I fear I cannot match your pace," he said. He picked up a bowl instead and concentrated on his food. Kankuro had warned him not to drink without taking sustenance.

"Few can," the Hokage smiled. "If you would like, we can tour the larger orchard once we complete our meal. The troops are spread out and would enjoy a greeting."

Gaara's heart skipped a beat. He nodded his head then placed a flower shaped carrot into his mouth.

"These dishes are excellent. My compliments to the chef," he directed the comment toward the servants. He picked up a slender piece of kabocha covered in the pale tempura batter. Naruto was out there somewhere, he thought, careful not to lose his grip on his chopsticks. He dipped the piece into the dark sauce and quickly popped it into his mouth. He reminded himself to chew before he swallowed.

Naruto climbed onto his knees and leaned his body forward. "What's going on?" he asked when he noted a number of ninja rise to their feet.

His team members all turned their heads to take note of the commotion.

"I believe Tsunade is making her rounds. These formal flower viewing parties are rare occasions, but usually the leaders greet their subordinates and pour drinks for them."

Naruto's heart began to beat a little faster. He watched the gate with increasing uneasiness, catching his breath when he saw Tsunade emerge. Her long sleeves looked silly on a woman her age. He nearly fell over as he leaned even further to note a certain red head emerge. The guards kept a tight circle around them and Naruto huffed in annoyance.

"Relax Naruto, the Hokage also carries tea for the underage," Kakashi said. Naruto righted himself to regain his balance. He felt a flurry of nervous butterflies start up a dance in his stomach. He leaned back, trying to look up at the trees and admire their beauty and not the graceful figure moving beneath them.

The sleeve of Gaara's kimono slid up slightly as he tipped the tea pot. He watched it pour from the puckered lip of clay into the mug held by his sister's companion. "Thank you for taking care of her," he said low enough for Nara's ears only. He lifted the pot and Nara nodded. The Konoha shinobi lifted the cup in the air before taking a sip.

"The honor is all mine," he replied. Gaara smiled before turning to the other members of the team. He greeted them each in turn while Tsunade filled their cups. The liquor had worn off and his head felt clear again. He no longer concentrated on the steadiness of his hands.

He set the pot on the tray carried by one of the servants. They greeted the team a last time before moving onto the next. A familiar brown face smiled up at him from the bamboo mat. Inuzuka Kiba had not forgotten him.

Gaara greeted the quiet young man wearing a pair of sunglasses and a jacket that clashed with his drab clothes beneath it. He said the traditional greeting and poured the tea. Tsunade was chatting with a blonde young woman and Gaara moved on to the next guest.

"You look well, Kazekage-sama," Inuzuka smiled. "How's your family?"

"They are well," Gaara replied calmly. "Thank you for inquiring." Inuzuka lifted the cup. Gaara could feel the sand around him hum with energy. Gaara reached for the tea pot calmly, pushed his kimono sleeve aside just slightly and bent down to pour. The other man's body drew closer and Gaara sensed, like a warning, that his sand would not fail to lash out. He emptied the contents of the tea pot calmly, slid away smoothly and returned the pot to the tray.

"My brother thanks you for honoring your debt to him. I am glad to see he has such reliable companions." Inuzuka lifted the glass and took a sip. His flirtatious smile vanished with the contents of his cup.

The dango stick cracked under his fingers. He took the splintered halves and snapped them again and again until he was left with so many small pieces. Inuzuka was practically sticking his nose in Gaara's hair he was so close. And though Gaara didn't smile or encourage him, Naruto kept his fingers busy and tapped his foot against the ground impatiently waiting for the encounter to be done with.

"Relax Naruto," Kakashi smiled. "Tsunade will get here soon enough."

"And Gaara-sama too," Sai chirped. Kakashi chuckled and poured himself another drink.

"I don't think the Kazekage will be up for any spars today. This party will run quite long."

Naruto frowned, picking up the bits of broken dango stick and twirling them between his fingers. If only it were that simple, he thought.

There was something decidedly frustrating about having the one you wanted to see so close and yet so far away.

Gaara's body shifted and Tsunade was pointing out their group with one outstretched finger. Naruto sat up straight, his heart thumping against his ribcage. He glanced down at his hands and noticed the so many pieces of small sticks and he brushed them onto the grass hurriedly.

"They're coming over here," he said straightening out his clothes and adjusting his legs into proper seiza form. He turned to greet Tsunade and the Kazekage, forcing his eyes to greet his leader first. "Oi, Tsunade-baba, it took you long enough! How come you didn't visit us first?"

Tsunade's smile twisted into an ugly scowl. "Because I have other, better behaved subordinates that deserved my attention first," she barked. Naruto grumped and folded his arms over his chest. He avoided looking at Gaara just yet. Tsunade pulled out the bottle of sake and offered a little to Kakashi. He bowed sheepishly, sipped the top off the measure already in his cup and held it up to her. She whispered something to him as she poured and he smiled and nodded at her words. Naruto wondered what she was saying to him when he felt the quiet presence next to him. His palms were sweaty against his pants.

"May I offer you some tea?" Gaara's quiet voice asked.

Naruto turned and couldn't help the idiotic smile he felt spread across his face. He nodded eagerly, not sure his tongue would work at the moment and lifted his glass. He fumbled a little and tried to hold it steady, eyes catching the graceful movement of the Kazekage's hand as he pushed the sleeve of his kimono up to reveal a length of his pale wrist; the way he held the teapot as though it was light as air and delicately pressed the lid in place with a single digit. He remembered that gentle touch against his cheeks, the careful way they caressed him and their lips brushing after.

Gaara cleared his throat. Naruto glanced up, and the Kazekage's clear eyes were on him, the scrunched brow hardly discernible. He was waiting for a response and Naruto realized he had missed something the other man said.

"I'm sorry?" Naruto said.

The Kazekage's expression dimmed. "Thank you for your hard work this year," he said automatically, averting his eyes while he placed the pot on the tray carried by the servant next to him. Naruto looked around, concerned. Sakura was busy chatting with Tsunade but Sai watched him and Naruto was concerned that it looked like he was frowning.

Naruto nodded and raised the cup, then drained its contents as tradition dictated. The Kazekage moved on to greet Sai, whose steely gaze lingered on Naruto a moment longer before turning to smile at the Kazekage.

After hours of a flower viewing party, Gaara felt he had spent very little time admiring flowers. He sighed into his empty guest suite finding it a blessed relief from the foreign faces in the garden and the only too familiar ones. He understood why Tsunade-hime had never invited him in the spring before. Still, he thought, tugging his kimono into place, the weather was a welcome improvement upon his usual visits even if certain other elements were not.

He closed his eyes remembering Uzumaki's melancholy expression. His silence in that most vulnerable moment was all the answer he required.

A knock sounded at his door and Gaara's heart leaped. His pulse began racing as he asked who was there. His guard announced his attendant and Gaara's pulse quickly slowed to the thrum of his disappointment.

"Come in," he said. A young man entered the room. He bowed, lowering his dark wavy hair.

"I've come to help you dress for dinner," he said. Gaara nodded, looking down at the garment he still didn't quite understand how to assemble. A garment cover was draped over the servant's arm. He carefully arranged on the bed and Gaara watched as careful hands unzipped the cover and pulled back the edges to reveal the wine colored material beneath. He stood and his hands reached out. "May I?" he asked carefully and Gaara, quieting the sands and urging calm, soothing thoughts, nodded. The fingers at his waist undoing the ties of the hakama were nimble and swift. The heavy layer was lowered until it ballooned from his knees and his servant asked him to step out of the material. Gaara watched absently as the material was folded neatly like everything went together. He returned then and asked Gaara to turn around, fingers plucking at the obi tied firmly against the small of his back. He felt his body relax, no longer feeling like a plank had been tied to his back. The stiff fabric was folded carefully and slipped into a protective cover. A new one was pulled out, made of a darker color that contrasted well with the wine colored robe.

The fingers returned to his waist, undoing the knots of the string keeping his robe in place. The constrictive material gone, the robe fell loosely around him. His servant's hands were careful not to touch him, delicately slipping the fabric off his shoulders.

They paused at the sudden commotion at the door. "You can't go in there!" his guard shouted as the door burst open. Gaara froze when Uzumaki Naruto stumbled into his room, failing to voice the words his mouth had been forming while his wide blue eyes darted from Gaara to his servant, to the robe slipping off of him. Naruto lowered his face.

His face shifted expressions until he simply shook his head, turned and left the room quietly.

"Excuse me," Gaara told his servant. The younger man bowed and stepped back while Gaara gathered up the material of his robe and rushed to the door as gracefully as he could. His guard looked up in alarm and noted his dishevelment. "Call him back," Gaara asked and the guard nodded and trotted down the hallway to retrieve the spry shinobi.

Gaara closed the door and quickly shrugged out of the robe. His servant hurriedly assisted him, draping the material over his arm. "Shall I return later, Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara nodded absently. "I'll send for you as soon as I'm able." The servant bowed and retreated with the used garments. He left the wine colored robe stretched out on the bed. Gaara looked down at the white robe he wore underneath the other layers. The other man had seen him in less, he reflected. He smoothed the fabric of the under robe with his palms, trying to compose himself. He took slow deep breaths in and out of his lungs. He regained the semblance of calm by the time his guard knocked on his door, ushering his visitor inside.

Gaara nodded to his guard and the door closed with a soft click that was too loud in the quiet room. "What business is so urgent that it merits frightening off my attendant?"

Gaara fingered the cover on the bed, folding it over to hide the robe beneath.

Naruto's mouth fell open, his fine, pale brows lifting. "Your... your attendant?" He noticed the garment cover on the bed. "You mean..." he looked from Gaara to the door, in the direction his servant had gone. His mouth quirked up, releasing his breath with audible relief. "I thought... I mean," his fingers brushed the back of his head. It was unusual for Naruto to avoid his eyes for so long. "I'm sorry." He met Gaara's gaze.

Gaara was unaccustomed to his often stubborn shinobi appearing so contrite. He paused, feeling his skin grow warm in a way he had almost forgotten. He shook his head, turning to look at the concealed robe. "I must dress for dinner as soon as you leave. Unless you yourself know how to assemble these garments? I fear I lack all sufficiency in dressing myself."

Naruto did little to conceal his disappointment, but Gaara, for all his anticipation of seeing his friend again, could not bring himself to broach the topic he was presently dancing around. It had not yet been long enough for him to forget.

The silence continued longer than Gaara deemed comfortable and he grew anxious in his belief that the headstrong shinobi would ignore his evasive tactics and force the topic anyways.

"Let me see the kimono."

Gaara turned quickly. He was quick to school his expression though he was certain the other shinobi picked up on his surprise.

"You're familiar with them?" he asked skeptically.

"Sakura taught me a few tips, but that was mostly for women's kimono. I've never dressed a guy but I don't think it's very different." Naruto eyed the under robe. He stepped forward, hand reaching out for the ties around his waist. He pulled his hand back and looked up. "May I?"

Gaara lifted his arms up and glanced down at himself, unsure of what was being asked. He nodded to the other shinobi.

Naruto tugged on the ties in place with one finger. His fingers moved, and brushed the top of the robe where it folded over tugging it up slightly to look at it closer. Gaara lowered his eyelids, staring at the bit of empty space between them, trying to fight the blush creeping up his neck. Uzumaki circled around him, touching at odd places. When he made a full circle he paused.

"I think I can try it," he said. "Will you be wearing the same under robe?" Gaara was certain his attendant meant to change robes, but he didn't dare expose himself any further. He had not expected the other shinobi to offer any assistance. He nodded, understanding there would be no graceful way out of this.

He watched as the Konohan removed the robe from cover and lifted the yard of material into the air to see how long the folds extended. He pulled it open and held it up to Gaara who lifted his arms on either side and slid one hand through the soft material. Naruto's fingers brushed against Gaara's shoulder as he set the material down. Gaara watched as those slender fingers smoothed the material. Naruto held up the other end and repeated the same motions. Gaara was only too aware of the material moving, shifting against him as Naruto straightened out their folds. He circled around and lifted the material slightly. He held it out, yanking the material up until it hit Gaara's legs at just the right length. He pressed one of the folds against Gaara's waist, his hand lingering.

"Hold it, please," Naruto said, meeting his eyes. Gaara nodded and quickly placed his hand over the material, fingers brushing against honey colored flesh as he took over. Uzumaki repeated the motion, hand once against pressing the material against Gaara's waist and this time the Kazekage was quicker to respond. He thought he imagined the other shinobi's hand lingering beneath his for the briefest of moments. But reason informed him the other shinobi was most likely hesitant to release the fabric too soon.

Naruto pulled out one of the ties from the inside pocket of the garment cover. He wrapped the silk cord around Gaara's waist, careful not to touch him as his hands maneuvered between Gaara's arm and waist. He crossed the ends and pulled them tight, careful to tie it off before tucking the ends in. Gaara released the fabric in his hands allowing Naruto to tug the fabric in place. Gaara took a deep breath when Naruto's hands slid inside the robe to tug down at the material overlapping the silk cord.

"Do you have a mirror?" he asked.

Gaara nodded. He pulled away too swiftly and Naruto's hand, caught in the fabric yanked a little too hard. Gaara ignored it, moving to pull away the robe he had left hanging over the mirror leaning against the wall. He threw the robe on his bed hurriedly, standing before the mirror. The taller man crept up behind him, a smooth chin just over his shoulder. Gaara's body suddenly felt warm and he realized that were he take the smallest of steps backward he would be pressed against the other shinobi. Naruto's arms wrapped around Gaara's smaller frame. Gaara tensed, but blue eyes were concentrating on the image in the mirror, hands quickly settling the robe back in place. Gaara lifted his arms to accommodate him, catching his breath when a hand slipped inside the robe, fingers brushing along his chest.

"Sorry," Naruto muttered. Gaara shook his head and tried to relax his nerves. Warm breath ruffled his hair as he shifted his stance. "You kind of smell like sake," Naruto smiled. He was close enough for Gaara to feel the warmth of his body heat. The hands rummaging beneath his robe slowed. He was more careful as he fiddled with the material, less apologetic when his fingers came in contact with Gaara's body.

"Tsunade-hime is rather fond of toasts."

Naruto laughed, and Gaara's body tensed when he felt the reverberation of it against his back. Naruto's breath tickled along his neck. Both hands slipped free of the robe, but instead of leaving, instead of breaking the contact between them, they slid around his waist and held him, pulling their bodies flush against one another.

Naruto leaned his forehead against the back of Gaara's head, effectively masking his expression.

"I don't know where to go from here," he muttered. Gaara could feel the rapid heartbeat drumming against his back. He couldn't tell if it belonged to him or the man holding him.

"I believe the obi comes next," Gaara tried to keep his voice even. After nearly a year of telling himself he must forget the other man, must not dream of moments like this, he found himself slightly terrified at the prospect of still having hope.

Gaara's body shook with Naruto's laughter. The hands around him tightened and Gaara slowly allowed his arms to fall to his sides. He thought of placing a hand on the arm stretched across his waist, but paused. He wasn't sure he was ready yet.

"I meant between us."

Gaara's stomach turned. "I assure you, my friendship is yours as always," he said cautiously. "I do not wish for that to change."

The hands at his waist loosened. Both arms slid away partially, fingers curling against his waist. Gaara turned in Naruto's arms to look at him.

"And if I want it to change?" Naruto mumbled in tones uncharacteristically somber for the confident shinobi. His downturned face could not hide the twin roses in full blossom on either side of his cheeks. His jaw stood out prominently, his slim brows narrowed above his lowered gaze.

Heat flooded Gaara's face. Latching one hand into the shinobi's black robe he yanked the other man down, forgetting his resolve, forgetting that he promised Uzumaki he would never press his suit again. He pressed forward, quick enough to allow his target only a single startled gasp before their mouths clashed with the violence of feeling he could no longer deny.

His heart swelled when Naruto's response was immediate. He felt their bodies crushed together, their mouths meeting with equal enthusiasm. Their last kiss had been all hesitation; a nervous brush of skin he had barely mustered up the courage to give. But this... Gaara felt the familiar stirrings of desire. He bit plump lip, nipping until Naruto pulled away, a warm tongue darted out and Gaara sighed when it brushed his top lip. Their lips parted, mouths crashing again, hard enough to knock teeth while their tongues twisted in battle. Gaara pressed the heavy body forward, carefully shifting forward on his toes. Naruto tried to match his steps, unwilling to break the contact between them. He grunted when the back of his knees hit the bed. Gaara pushed him forward, holding onto him while their bodies hurtled toward the mattress. He felt clumsy in the robe wrapped around his legs, struggling to widen his knees.

Their hands groped one another aimlessly, mouths seeking contact. He sucked in his breath like he was in the lake again, head about to dive beneath the surface of the water. It was the same type of feeling; the same sort of disoriented feeling of not knowing which way was up or down, holding out until his lungs were burning, desperate to surface for a breath of cool air.

Gaara's hand pressed into the mattress. He held up his torso while the other snaked it's way up Uzumaki's shirt. He was annoyed to find a tank top between his palms and the other man's flesh. He tugged on it in frustration.

"Whoa," Naruto murmured against his lips. "Whoa, whoa," one hand pressed against Gaara's shoulder. "Maybe we're taking this too fast."

Gaara used the pause to tug the material at his thighs up. He shifted his legs to kneel on either side of Naruto's legs, sliding his body forward. He sat up, settling his behind on the taut, warm stomach beneath him.

"You are perhaps right. Usually this course of action is preceded by an understanding." Gaara undulated his hips in a backward roll. Naruto's expression quickly transformed. His eyes rolled up, his mouth parted in a groan.

"I assure you of my affections," Gaara said.

Naruto's hands were quick to undo his handiwork. The red robe billowed around them, while their bodies shifted clumsily in syncopated rhythm. The white robe bunched at Gaara's waist and he impatiently tugged the waistline of the other shinobi's pants when a quiet knock interrupted. Both men froze.

"Kazekage-sama," his guard spoke through the door. "Your attendant is here to see you. You are expected for dinner at the hour."

Gaara glanced at the clock and sighed. He pressed a hurried kiss to Naruto's lips. "We will continue this tonight," he said softly. His companion nodded enthusiastically. His cheeks were as flushed as Gaara's felt. He slid over the body under his and climbed back onto his feet. He took a deep breath, urging his pulse to slow down, willing his body to save his excitement for later. With a renewed sense of calm he walked to the door, fingers tugging his robe back in place.