Hmm, thinking about changing the title. I'm not so sure this title fits with this story as much as it would with another one I've got brewing in my head. And once again, so much for updating quickly. How long has it been?... I thought I was getting better. Guess not.
†HavocChapter 10: Sleepover
Another Friday night at home. Pictures littered Gaara's bedspread and he laid in the middle of them. The pictures were ones he had taken over the summer and since the beginning of the school year. A few of them were random, pictures of plants and scenery, but the majority of them were of his friends and him. Gaara had a habit of taking pictures with just about everyone he met, even if he wasn't the best of friends with them. As he looked through the pictures, Gaara touched lightly at a fresh bruise on his jaw. Boku had taken a swing at him before leaving to go out with his friends. He couldn't even remember what he'd been hit for this time.
Gaara came across one of him and Sasuke that made him pause. He had just been shuffling through stacks briefly looking at each one, but the one of the two of them had made him stop and take a better look at it. Gaara wondered why he didn't remember this picture being taken. He studied the picture. They were sitting close together on a bench in a park that was near Naruto's house. Both of them had small smiles on their faces. But the thing that bothered Gaara the most about the picture was how Sasuke's arm was wrapped around his own waist, with his hand resting lightly on his hip.
Gaara didn't know why the picture bothered him so much, but it did. It was so obvious how Sasuke felt about him. There were subtle hints everywhere, including in that picture. And Gaara knew it all along. He'd had just been denying the fact that Sasuke liked him as more than a friend. And why? Because Gaara felt the same way back, but refused to believe it.
Before Gaara realized what he was doing, he crossed the room, picked up the phone, and started dialing Sasuke's number. The last few days at school had been awkward for Gaara. Sasuke had once again gone back to ignoring him, but he felt worse then usual about it. As the phone rang, Gaara shifted nervously back and forth, waiting for someone to pick up. If it was Itachi who answered, he'd have to hang up so he was desperately hoping for Sasuke. But when the phone was answered, even thought it was Sasuke who picked up, Gaara still felt like clicking off the phone.
"Hello?" the voice on the other side of the line said for a second time.
Gaara cleared his throat and finally managed to say, "Hey... Sasuke?"
Only silence answered him now. Gaara began to fear that maybe it was Itachi. But he knew it was Sauke's voice he heard, he was sure.
Finally the response came. "Yeah."
Gaara was relieved, but now it was his turn to say something. He didn't even know why he called him in the first place. There was more silence before Gaara asked, "Do you ... Wanna come over?"
Silence again. "Sure."
Gaara paced back and forth in the living room close to the front door, waiting for Sasuke's arrival. Kankuro appeared out of the kitchen holding a bowl of soup he'd prepared for himself. He stopped and cocked an eyebrow at Gaara, lowering the spoon he had half-lifted to his lips.
"What are you doing?" Kankuro questioned. "Can't you go be a freak somewhere where I don't have to see you?"
Gaara stopped and spun around to face Kankuro. He was caught off guard and scowled at him. "Waiting," he answered simply. "But what are you still doing home?" Gaara had thought he'd left the house a while ago.
Kankuro shrugged and said, "I'm not leaving until later this evening." Kankuro took a sip of the soup then continued. "And who ya waiting for? Your boyfriend?"
Gaara resisted the urge to tackle Kankuro. He figured he'd be completely dominated, with Kankuro having more experience since he was a football player, but that wasn't going to stop him from giving it a try. Gaara clenched his fists and his face darkened, but his thoughts of taking down his older brother were interrupted by the doorbell ringing.
Kankuro laughed and turned to walk back in the kitchen as Gaara turned to open the door. Sasuke was standing with his hands tucked into the pockets of his skinny jeans, looking at the ground. When Gaara opened the door, Sasuke looked up at him. Gaara moved to the side to let him through. Kankuro poked his head around the edge of the opening leading to the kitchen. "So I was right about it being your boyfriend," he said triumphantly and laughed as he walked away.
Gaara took only one step towards Kankuro and the kitchen when he felt fingers close around his wrist. He stopped himself immediately and ripped his arm out of Sasuke's grip, sending a dull pain up through it, then turned to face him. Sasuke frowned but Gaara ignored it saying, "Let's go upstairs."
Sasuke followed silently behind Gaara as they made their way up to Gaara's room. When Gaara sat down on the edge of the bed, Sasuke sat next to him. He rested his hand of top of Gaara's and looked over at him his expression changing to one of slight concern.
"Is everything alright?" he questioned. In Sasuke's opinion, Gaara seemed more sour than usual.
Gaara slid his hand out from underneath Sasuke's and looked over at him. "Yeah," he answered bluntly, but then questioned, "Why?'
Sasuke hid his disappointment when Gaara pulled away his hand. He looked away from Gaara's face trying to keep his expression and tone indifferent. Shrugging, Sasuke answered, "I don't know you just sounded... weird on the phone. And..." Sasuke trailed off. He looked back up at Gaara and lifted his hand up to his face. Sasuke lightly brushed his fingers over the bruise on Gaara 's jaw.
Gaara swatted Sasuke's hand away and stood up from the bed, his hands clenched down by his sides. He was shaking slightly. "Why does everyone always assume something is wrong with me?" he growled. "Everyone thinks I'm so weak and pathetic and can't handle getting smacked around a little." Gaara's voice and temper rose as he continued to speak. He didn't even know what he was saying or why all of the sudden he decided to break.
Sasuke flew up and stood in front of Gaara. "I'm not saying that at all Gaara," he said defensively. "But... Just... Why don't you let anyone help you? What are you so afraid of?"
"I am not afraid!" Gaara yelled, taking a threatening step towards Sasuke. "Not like you, who is afraid of his brother and what he'll do to you if you do something he doesn't 'approve' of!"
Sasuke's face darkened and he shook his head. But Gaara wasn't done yet.
"I'm not weak like you. I don't break as easily as you do," Gaara wasn't sure what he was talking about, the words were just spilling out of his mouth.
But Sasuke had heard enough. He closed the distance between the two of them and shoved Gaara, causing him to stumble backward and until he hit the bed, falling back onto it. Sasuke was on him in a second. On him and... kissing him. Gaara felt the crush of lips against his, and it took him a minute to realize what had happened. He closed his eyes and slid his arms around Sasuke as Sasuke kissed him again.
At that moment, the bedroom door opened and Kanukro walked in asking, "Is everything alright? I heard yelling and..." He trailed off when he saw Sasuke and Gaara on the bed.
"Oh... God," Kankuro said, disgusted. "You should be glad I'm not our father, Or else..." His face looked repulsed.
Sasuke peeled himself off of Gaara and crossed the room so he was standing in front of Kankuro. "Your father," Sasuke began. "He's your father, not Gaara's." Kankuro's look of repulsion was mirrored on Sasuke's face. "And 'or else' what? Or else he'd beat Gaara senseless? What a surprise," he continued. "You look disgusted, Kankuro. But you know what the real disgusting part is? The fact that you do nothing about it."
Kankuro stood with his mouth slightly open, brow furrowed. He looked over at Gaara who was now sitting up, gripping the edge of the bed and looking down at the floor. Kankuro turned away furiously and stomped down the stairs, slamming the door at the bottom.
Sasuke stood facing the door for a moment longer then turned and walked back to Gaara who was still staring down at the floor. He noticed Gaara was trembling a bit as Sasuke stood over him looking down at him.
"I--I'm sorry," Sasuke stammered. He wasn't sure what he was apologizing for. Making him angry? Kissing him? Yelling at Kankuro?
Gaara looked up at him slowly. He reached up and grabbed the front of Sasuke's shirt, pulling him down so they were face to face. Sasuke was surprised at Gaara's rough movement at first, but relaxed when he felt Gaara's mouth press against his own. Sasuke put his hand on the side of Gaara 's face, but then Gaara jerked his head away. His hand shot up to where Sasuke had touched him. The bruise.
Gaara touched it lightly thinking about Boku. "You should..." Gaara trailed off the first time, then cleared his through and began again. "You should go," Gaara finished.
Sasuke crossed his arms across his chest and frowned. Gaara was still trembling and he knew he was trying to contain it and pretend like he wasn't. Sasuke could tell Gaara was breaking down. "What have I done?" Sasuke thought.
When Sasuke sat down on the bed next to him, Gaara repeated himself. "You should go," he said with more force this time. "Really."
Sasuke stared at Gaara for a second then wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. "I'm not going anywhere," he said quietly. He buried his face into Gaara's shoulder. Sasuke could feel Gaara shaking in his arms. It worried him. Eventually, he felt Gaara 's arms slide loosely around his waist and Sasuke held him tighter.
Sasuke was now thinking about Gaara's "father." He wondered when he'd be home. He wondered if Kankuro would say anything to him. He wondered how much time he had left with Gaara. Sasuke began to fear he had gotten Gaara into trouble.
Later that night, after Yasha, Temari, and Kankuro had all come home from their nights out, Sasuke still sat in Gaara's room. He spun in slow circles in a swivel chair and Gaara laid sprawled out on the bed. The two had been making lazy conversation with each other but now became fully alert when they heard the sound of a car door slamming in the driveway.
The pair had been enjoying each other's company enough to temporarily push Boku from their minds. Gaara quickly moved from the bed to the window that over-looked the driveway. He watched Boku stumble up to the front porch.
When Gaara moved to the bedroom door, Sasuke took that as his cue to leave and said, "I should be going..."
But Gaara didn't open the door, he locked it. "Sleepover," Gaara said with a hint of mock enthusiasm. Gaara wasn't supposed to have people over anymore at this hour of the night and he figured it would best to not test Boku's anger, having not fully recovered from his last beating.
The lock was just a safety precaution to keep Boku out of his room in case he decided to initiate a late night beating which would surely be issued if he saw Sasuke there. Boku had always been suspicious of Sasuke ever since the first time they'd met. He'd always partially taken Kankuro's joke as the truth.
Gaara walked away from the door and stretched back out on the bed, yawning and closing his eyes. Sasuke stood up from the chair and strode over the bed. He casually laid down next to Gaara and closed his eyes as well. They laid much closer to each other than two fifteen-year-old boys should, but neither one seemed bothered by it. Eventually, the two fell into sleep.
Sasuke awoke later to the sound of the soft clicking of rain against the window. He looked over to see Gaara still asleep next to him and he soon fell back asleep as well. When Sasuke awoke again, it was still early but he carefully slipped out from underneath Gaara's arm that had been draped over his chest.Gaara stirred slightly, but didn't awaken. Sasuke walked over to one of the windows and pushed back the curtains. The windows were fogged over but when he wiped his hand across it too look outside, he saw it was no longer raining.
A hand on his shoulder made Sasuke jump. He looked over his shoulder to see Gaara's unsmiling face behind him.Sasuke hadn't even heard him get up and walk across the room.
"Now I think you should go," Gaara said flatly.
Nodding, Sasuke walked over to the door, Gaara following close behind him. The climbed silently down the stairs and to the front door. Gaara opened the door and Sasuke left without a word.
"Cute," Gaara heard someone say. He snapped his head around and found Kankuro leaning against the door frame leading to the kitchen. Gaara scowled and started sulking off to his room. Kankuro could easily use this against him later.
Outside Sasuke walked lazily sown the block. hands shoved into his pockets. The streets were practically empty and he saw hardly anyone he recognized on the way home. He slipped quietly into his house and crept up the stairs into his bedroom. Itachi usually wouldn't be getting up for a few hours yet, but he didn't want to take chances. Sasuke collapsed on top of his bed and let out a sigh. Things could get awkward now.
