'thoughts'
Hinata blushed, when Naruto walked in with a bouquet of flowers and a tray of food. He smiled brightly, laying the tray across her lap. She looked at him confused, "You're the one who is supposed to be injured here." He just laughed and told her to eat up because she had a lot of explaining to do. She sighed 'At least I get breakfast in bed.' He walked out the room, spying Shino hovering around Hinata's door.
"Oi," Naruto called out, "Is something wrong?"
Shin just looked at him, deciding whether or not he cared to explain himself, "She was injured pretty badly." He stated the obvious, even though Hinata didn't say anything. Naruto figured it out, when she was laying next to him. She would flinch ever so slightly, when she moved around. He knew the girl would try to keep something like that from him not wanting him to worry. That's why he decided to wake up early and treat her to breakfast because god knows he was very far from a morning person.
"I know." Naruto said, looking oddly at Shino, "Are you going to stand here all day?"
"Hn." The taller boy replied, resting his against the wall with his arms crossed. Naruto did not notice the slight blush decorating the insect lover's cheeks.
"So talkative aren't you," Naruto said before walking down the hall. He smiled a little 'Hinata has an odd choice in his friends'.
He did not get far a long the hallway until he was greeted by three very rowdy children. They looked up at their brother lovingly. Konohamaru was the first to speak up, "Is true that you can see now Naru-chan!" He said excitedly. Naruto nodded his head smiling, "Yup," he kneeled down so that he was closer to the children, "Now you guys can't play mean tricks on me. Like pretending to clean, when you're really playing games." Naruto chuckled when the kids blushed, shamefully.
"We're sorry Naru-chan," they said in unison, "we really missed you." They said sniffling.
Naruto smiled sweetly, "Don't cry punks," he wiping their tears away, ruffling their hair.
Naruto spent the majority of the day with kids, thinking about how much he missed his family. It was a warm feeling to be loved and love. His thoughts often strayed to Sasuke, who was probably going through a hard time. He wanted to give this feeling of love to Sasuke. The feeling of a family. When this was all over, he promised himself that he would be the one to give that feeling to Sasuke. He knew it wouldn't be easy and that he had a lot going against him, but he wasn't going to give up. He was tired of running away and feeling like he can't do anything.
Later in the day, he visited Hinata's room. Shino and Kiba were at her side. Hinata was smiling and laughing with the two boys or more so with Kiba. Shino had a straight face. Whenever Naruto saw him, he could only think of how weird he was.
"Hey," Naruto said walking in and taking a seat next to Hinata, "How are you feeling?"
"Much better," Hinata said, "I'm ready Naruto. To tell you about everything we know."
Naruto didn't say anything. He just listened to her Hinata speak.
"When we came to get you, we were expecting only to face off with Orochimaru, but there was someone else with him, a child. But that child wasn't just anyone. He is Sasuke's brother. The one was supposed to have died, killed by jinjuriki. His name is Sai. Sai was the very reason why Sasuke went on a rampage, killing every jinjuriki he could get his hands on. That is why he killed Naruto's family and almost Naruto. But for some reason that day. Itachi saved you. That is how Orochimaru got his hands on you. We don't know what he wanted with you, but I know it has something to do with your nine-tails," Hinata paused, "I think Itachi is planning something huge. Something that is going to kill a lot of people. I'm pretty sure he wants to release your nine-tails on the village. But that is all we really know."
Naruto closed his eyes, biting his bottom lips, furious, "What happened to Sai and Orochimaru?"
"They disappeared," Kiba announced, "cheating bastards," he grumbled.
"What do you mean they disappeared?" Naruto looked confused.
"We were fighting," Kiba growled, "and we were so close to finishing them off. But the that Orochimaru used one of his little tricks, and they fucking disappeared."
"We have to go back Naruto," Hinata said looking at him earnestly, "we have to stop whatever they are trying to do. Poor Sasuke probably has no idea his brother is alive and that he is being tricked!"
Naruto nodded his head in agreement, "But first we need to make a trip somewhere."
"Sire," a soldier kneeled before his king, "there is someone here to see you m'lord." The king didn't pay any attention to the man, "I'm busy," the red head announced. Temari waltz up to her brother with a certain blonde dangling over her shoulder. The boy was blushing and demanding her to release him, between fits of laughter. On looking guards couldn't help but admire the boy's beauty, and his perfectly round ass. If it weren't for the death glares Gaara was giving to every single one who laid eyes on the boy for more then a second, they would have allowed their eyes to linger for longer.
"Temari," Naruto shouted, "Put me down. I need to speak with Gee-I mean Gaara-sama properly."
Temari placed the boy on his feet and ordered the guards to leave the room, "Behave you two," Temari winked at the boys, before ushering everyone out the room.
"Gee-I mean," Naruto coughed, blushing at how he kept addressing Gaara so informally.
Gaara laughed. He moved closer to Naruto, "You can call me whatever you want," the young king smiled, reaching out to touch Naruto's cheek.
Naruto caught Gaara's hand before it could touch him, "Gee-chan," Naruto began, "You need to call off the war. I remember everything now, and this is not going to help."
"This is for you Naruto," Gaara said confused, "I'm giving your kingdom back to you. I've been looking for you ever since we were children. We can be together Naruto. You know as well as I that we are supposed to wed."
"Gaara I can't marry you," Naruto said softly but firmly, knowing he needed to get the point across. There was no time for sweet words, only the truth. Naruto did love Gaara just not to the extent that he loved Sasuke. Naruto truly believed he could never love another person the way he loved Sasuke. Naruto couldn't lie to himself or anyone about his feelings. He didn't want too, "I'm in love with Sasuke."
Gaara studied Naruto for a while, trying to make sense of what he just said. Trying to see if that was some sort of joke, but he couldn't find any sign that it was. He laughed anyway but not the laugh one hears after hearing something funny. It was the kind of laugh that often ended up in sobs. He grimaced, throwing Naruto's back against the wall, "No," he shook his head, looking down, "You can't. You said you loved me." Gaara shook the smaller boy by his shoulder, jerking him back and forth against the wall. Even though it hurt, Naruto took it. This is what he expected. He watched quietly as Gaara began to cry silently, resting his head on top of Naruto's left shoulder. Naruto resisted the urge to comfort the man knowing this was the only way to get through to Gaara. There were no fluffy words he could say or tears he could shed because he was not sorry for what he was doing. There was a time when he thought he did love Gaara, and he would never deny that. He enjoyed those feelings he shared with this man. So he had no reason to cry for himself or Gaara. No one knew that this would happen, certainly not him. He could only sit back and watch, as the consequence of loving someone unfolded. It would be selfish of him to apologize, knowing he would only be saying it to make himself feel less at fault. It would only show regret for loving Sasuke, regret for telling the truth. And he did not regret either of those things.
The two stood there for a few minutes, neither of them moving. Naruto felt the bond between them breaking and crumbling to the floor like the way Gaara's sand materialized after being cracked. Gaara let go of Naruto, turning his back on the younger boy, "If this is what you want, so be it. You can take your leave." Naruto smiled softly, knowing how strong Gaara was being right now. How much it took for him to stand down from a fight, but he did it for him. Naruto knew that he still loved Gaara, and if he had never remembered, they probably would have lived a happy life together. But he did. Naruto rested his head against Gaara's back, "Thank you," he said before making his way out the room.