They were seated in a private room of the restaurant. He had told them Gaara might join later on, so they figured it was best to allow the Kazekage to have more privacy.

Even though Gaara never confirmed if he was going to meet them after work. Naruto hoped he would. He had made so many friends in Suna, it's a shame they havent got to hang out with his boyfriend.

"I'm starting to think you made up this boyfriend of yours." Kōji looked over the menu, even though he's going to order the same thing as always.

"I did not." Naruto figured out this place made half decent ramen, so he already knew his as well. He didn't bother with the theatrics though.

"You sure it's not just so you could let me down gently? My pride can take it." He put the menu down as if he just so happened to decide on what he was going to eat.

"I've tried letting you down harshly and you haven't gotten the hint."

"I get it, I'm too much alpha for you to handle."

Korobi mentioned, "Kōji's arrogance aside, you don't talk about him much."

"It's just so weird you have this boyfriend, and no one knows their name." Matsuri added on.

"He must be jealous of you being so far away from him. I don't think I could handle it if my girl was on a long term mission in another village like that." Korobi said.

"Especially if she came back wreaking of another alpha." Kōji laughed.

They kinda gave up on the theory that Naruto was dating the Kazekage after it was confirmed Matsuri's theory of him being on rut. The sandstorm raged for five whole days after their first dinner together. Then the Kazekage returned to office like nothing happened. They figured, if Naruto traveled all the way here for the Kazekage, he wouldn't miss out on that.

The next theory was that Naruto's boyfriend was back in Konoha. It made sense that Naruto would be dating another leaf nin. Naruto just happened to be on a six month mission to another village.

It seemed like their latest one was that Naruto didn't have a boyfriend.

"You should tell Lord Gaara to calm down with that." Korobi added on. He was one of the many people who still kinda saw Gaara as who he used to be and not who he was. So this was a shallow dig at Gaara's lack of control.

"Speaking of which, you said he's coming tonight?" Matsuri's eyes light up.

"I said he might be," Naruto shied away, "He's super busy, so he might not be able to make it."

"Don't get a girl's hopes up for nothing. I spent all afternoon getting ready for this. He's got to see me at my best." Matsuri frowned.

At times like this Naruto wished he could tell the truth, "I don't think Gaara's looking to date right now."

Close enough.

"No one's ever looking to date. It just happens." She adjusted her outfit, "I'm hoping to make sure it happens tonight."

"You're not going to get through to her, just let her live in delusion." Kōji reminded him.

"Here we are!" Ameno came to the table with drinks like usual.

"Thanks, Ameno!" Naruto's gotten a lot better at holding his alcohol than before. It seems like a big part of their get-togethers, so he wanted to make sure he could do it right. He went too far the first night.

"Did Lord Gaara cancel?" she asked.

"He should be coming by later, he's busy or whatever." Matsuri looked at Naruto like it was his fault that Gaara had to work late.

It didn't matter.

They quickly got into their usual routine. They'd chat and complain about students. Drink. Eat. Drink some more. Chat some more. Until all the stress of work melted away. Minutes faded into a few hours. Naruto loved nights like these with his co-workers the most.

Gaara came through the door. He's never been more handsome. Dressed in his regular black pants, a black shirt with the mesh armor underneath, and a simple white scarf wrapped around him. Most importantly, he's not in his Kage Robes.

"Hello."

"Oh-um-Lord Gaara."

"Lord Gaara." Korobi shrunk down.

Naruto smiled, "You made it!"

He saw Naruto across the room, bright orange sweatpants, a tight black tank top, and the biggest smile. Gaara would have to walk past, and ask the others in the room to scoot their chairs in to maneuver around here.

Gaara was already uncomfortable here, and wanted to leave. He sat down anyway. Naruto made sure there was a spot next to him. He was here because his omega wanted him to be here.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

"It's fine, I know you had a lot of paperwork to do." Naruto looked over to the slightly tipsy group, tipsy himself, "Everyone, this is my bo- Gaara."

They can't say 'nice to meet you,' because they already know him. Most of them were already terrified of him. They also didn't feel comfortable enough to make fun of the very clear and obvious slip up.

Naruto was used to being a secret. At least this time it made sense. If they went public two Shinobi Councils would have to weigh in. Then their countries, then any two bit nobody with a voice that carries.

It was better for them, at least until they decided how serious they wanted to be. That doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt Naruto that they couldn't scream their love from the rooftop. Even he still wasn't able to say it in the privacy of their shared bed.

Gaara made a point to show up where it counts. He made a point to show up to this awkward dinner, even though it's obvious he doesn't want to be here. It had to be hard for him.

"How long have you two been friends?" Ameno tried to help them out.

Naruto looked over at Gaara, smiled, bit his bottom lip, then said, "Oh! Ummmm… I dont know. Three or four years now, right?"

Gaara nods.

"So directly after we attacked Konoha?" Kōji asked.

"... If you want to be specific, yes."

"Do you have a habit of befriending people who try to kill you?"

The answer was yes. But also no, no in that way. Still it happened a lot more often than how one person should make friends. But also, maybe Naruto needs therapy. Maybe everyone needs therapy. Naruto doesn't know, he's not a therapist. He's just their friend.

"Don't take that to heart," Matsuri spoke up, "he just sucks at being funny, Lord Gaara."

"Oi! I'm great at being funny. Just ask Shishio..."

Shishio shrunk in his chair.

Naruto quickly said, "If we have to ask, you're not funny."

"Fuck you." Kōji throws a balled up paper towel at Naruto.

Stopped quickly by sand.

Everyone tensed, readying themselves for a fight. Each trying to sober up as quickly as their body would allow. This was just like bef-

"Sorry about that." Gaara realized what he did. The sand dissolves back into the gourd on his waist.

"You so weird Gaara, it's just Koji." Naruto laughed.

"Yeah, Lord Gaara, I mean no harm to your ome-friend."

Lucky Naruto already seemed to hold a buzz, because he didn't notice the slip up, he laughed, "Like you could hurt me."

Koji trapped between his pride and will to live, "I would never want to hurt you."

"Ok-ay," Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Naruto, I-

"Here." Naruto poured Gaara a glass, and slid it over to him.

-should go.

"Thank you."

It was awful.

Gaara couldn't understand why Naruto and the others drank it so easily. It was truly awful. It did warm his stomach, even with the bitter taste that stung his throat. He had consumed bad soldier pills in the past, this reminded him of that. A means to an end. Except instead of nutrition, it seemed like the end was the intentional loss of senses and control.

"You don't like it?" Naruto asked.

"It's not… horrible."

"You hate it."

"I-"

"It's okay, I didn't like it either the first time." Naruto shrugged, "apparently it's supposed to be that way."

Gaara wanted to ask, 'then why did you keep drinking?'

He felt like he knew.

"Don't worry, Lord Gaara. It grows on you." the girl next to Naruto said.

Gaara nodded. He planned on slowly sipping this one drink for the rest of the night. It didn't seem like it would last much longer. Their meals have already been eaten, they had only drinks in front of them. At most another thirty to forty five minutes. Gaara could do that.

"Oh! How was your day?"

The girl spoke up again, he vaguely remembers her name as Matsuri, "Yeah, Lord Gaara, I'm sure you must have done something incredible."

Koji and Korobi share a look.

"Hm, my day was uneventful. It was mostly meetings. I did have some time to stop in the greenhouse during lunch."

"How's the cacti doing? I don't think I've gotten to check on anything in there in weeks with all the papers I've been grading."

"They are coming along quite nicely. I think one might bloom soon."

"Huh?"

"You have to tell me when! I don't want to miss it." Naruto smiled.

"Cacti?" she asked.

"Gaara and I, well mostly Gaara, grow cacti as a hobby. He's got a great little greenhouse for all of them. They are so cute. I've been waiting for this one to bloom since I got here. Gaara said it's super rare."

"That sounds delightful," Ameno asked, "How long have you been into that?"

Gaara didn't know if she meant him or Naruto, so he answered, "I've been growing them my whole life, but I really picked it up a few years ago. It's very calming. I got Naruto into it a few months ago. However he's always been into growing different types of plants back in Konoha."

"You're also into horticulture?" Ameno looked over to Naruto.

"Horto-what-tle? I just like taking care of plants."

"That's what it means!" Koji said, dropping the usual, 'idiot.' He knew how to be polite around political leaders who have threatened to murder people for less.

"Oh! Then yeah. I'm into Horto-whats-its. I used to do it back home in Konoha, but ya' know being a ninja and all, I was never around long enough to really be able to get into it. It always sucked to come back from a mission to an apartment of dead plants."

"Is that how you two, ya' know," the cat was out of the bag, "bonded over plants?"

The two looked at eachother, then the group and shook their heads, "No, I was stopping by for a mission, and he was the only one I really knew here… So we hung out."

"You had a mission in another village." Koji was rightfully on the defensive, looking over to his leader. This would have been before the Teacher Program. So what was a foreign shinobi doing having a mission in the same village that attacked it weeks prior.

"No! No-no. I was doing a mission nearby, and the Pervy Sage was like, 'you know who has great hot springs and hot omegas.' and I was like, 'no.' And he was like, 'Suna.' And I was like, 'Okay, but what about our mission?' and he was like, 'it's just a pitstop.' And that's why we were here."

"I'm going to ignore the mess of all of that, who's the Pervy Sage?" Ameno asked, "and why were you with someone of that title?"

"It's what he calls Lord Jiraiya." Gaara explained.

Koji confirmed, "Of the Legendary Three Sannin?"

"How many powerful shinobi are you connected to?" Matsuri asked.

"Huh? Like," Naruto tried to think of a number, but landed on, "Just like a few."

"That's not a number." Koji said.

"I don't know, like, the normal amount."

"Are you, like, secretly related to someone super important?" Matsuri asked.

Naruto thought about it, it's a possibility, but "Not that I know of. Why?"

"Because you know a lot of powerful people."

"I'm just really good at making friends." Naruto shrugged it off. It's not his fault the only people who have enjoyed his company were people with power and influence. He never even thought of it like that before.

"Oh, so that's how you do it, you-" Koji shut up.

"I what?" Naruto wanted him to go on.

"Nothing."

"I want to -

"Here," Ameno filled up his cup, pushed it over, "it was empty."

"Thank you." Gaara nodded, she only refilled a sip of his cup.

She then filled up everyone else's to the brim. Ameno knew that conversation could only end badly. It was best to lead with a bit of distraction.

They talk for a bit.

It's awkward.

Salvageable, but awkward.

Gaara took another sip.

He's thinking of an excuse to leave early. He already said he was done with paperwork for today. They all know of his sleeping problems, so he can't say he needs to rest. So he's just stuck.

Naruto's smiling though. He seemed to be happy that Gaara was here. One of his friends was one of the many fangirls that have popped up since his title change. They didn't really love him, just the power that comes with his name. It's annoying but at least not fearful.

Two of them have barely said a word since he arrived. Koji obviously had some sort of crush on Naruto, that he's trying to tamper down. Because he finally realized who he's dating.

Ameno seems nice.

And to put the squeeze on the coffin of this horrible night, Naruto asked, "Oh, are those the kids from the orphanage or are they already in nin-housing?"

"What?"

"Orphanage?"

"Nin-housing?"

"Yeah, I was wondering when I should go check in on them…" Naruto finally spoke up about it. He was planning on asking Gaara a while ago if it would be weird if he made sure the kids were alright.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about…" Ameno hesitated.

"Ya' know… The students that live alone in the Nin-housing." Naruto looked around the table, he felt crazy, "I noticed I haven't seen any in my building. Do you guys have us all sectioned off by age groups? Because that's smart. I was always telling the old man there should be a kid block."

"Old man?"

"The Hokage!" Naruto smiled.

"You're asking the wrong questions." He looked over to her, then back at Naruto, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"We don't have any students who live alone in nin-housing."

"Yeah, who would let kids live alone like that?"

"I mean, I moved into the nin-apartments when I was about five or maybe six, I don't know whenever you could start training. I was just wondering if that's how it is here?"

"Nin-housing? So - you got adopted by another shinobi before you started training?" Kōji said.

"... No."

"Who took care of you?" Ameno asked.

"What do you mean? I did." Naruto said.

Gaara slid his arm over, not caring how saw, to put his hand on the lower of Naruto's back. It was meant to be a gesture of comfort.

"Oh…" Ameno looked at him oddly, "Did you have any adults that supervised you."

"You know, like, the Hokage would stop by once a month to make sure I was alright!" Naruto smiled.

"I meant more like daily, would any one check up on you?"

"I went to school like, five days a week. You know like everyone else."

Kōji couldn't take it, "She's asking about at home, dude. Did you have adults at your apartment?"

Naruto started to feel a bit uncomfortable, "No, but that's okay. I had an allowance and everything. So it wasn't like I was starving or anything."

"So they just gave a five year old a wad of cash and said, 'don't spend it all in one place.'" Kōji judged.

"It taught me how to be responsible and not waste money. Plus, like if it ran out, I knew how to fish, and there's this big lake right outside the apartments with all this tasty fish in it! … except that one time." Naruto quickly added, "that was my fault! I didn't cook it all the way. I wasn't used to cooking on fire yet."

"Were there a lot of you kids like that?"

"Not like a lot - a lot, but yeah. Me and my friend Sa-" before that sound left his lips, he covered with, "We used to live like that. It wasn't a big deal. He lived a bit better than me, because his family left him a lot."

"So did your family leave you anything?"

"I don't have a family."

"You have to have a family." Matsuri said.

"No, you don't." Naruto stared at the half empty cup in front of him.

"Aren't there any recor-

Gaara pulled Naruto not even an inch closer, but enough to remind him that he's there, "I think this is a good place to stop asking about his upbringing."

"Gaara, it's not a big deal. I'm the one that brought it up in the first place." Naruto said to his love.

"Lord Gaara is right. This is clearly a sensitive topic and we were being insensitive about it."

"You guys were just curious," Naruto tried to make it less awkward, "The way Konoha does things is just different. How do you guys do it here?"

"We try to keep the children with a blood relative. Usually from the mothers side." Ameno informed, "A lot of Sunagakure is still matrilineal."

"We're like, really big on family here. Even when just one parent isn't doing well, a lot of times child care is split throughout the family."

"Yeah," Gaara said, "When my mother passed, her brother was the one that stepped in to help out."

The room got really quiet. No one wanted to say anything.

Except Naruto, who said, "I don't think that's a good example."

"I suppose you're right," he chuckled.

Everyone paused, before a few people joined in on the laugh.

Apparently that over-share was enough to break the ice for the rest of the evening. Which lasted a bit longer than the thirty to forty five minutes Gaara had budgeted for this evening. He managed to spread one and a half drinks over the span of an hour and a half.

Naruto's friends were still a bit wary of him. That was to be expected with his past. With his role as the Kazekage and savior of the Village, it seemed to be enough to get civility from them. Naruto's blessing was what took it over the edge. Gaara had always known Naruto had a way with moving peoples hearts.

"We have to do this again sometime, Lord Gaara." Ameno said. Obviously one of Naruto's closest friends out of the group, if tonight had anything to say about it.

"Yes, we should."

"I'm really going to be able to get you out of the office for more than just missions, family stuff, and date-Hangouts!" Naruto saved their poorly kept secret at the end.

The group knew, but had enough sense not to say anything about it. Shinobi were good like that. They knew if something was a secret, there was a reason for it. And this was a secret of the highest order, one involving the Kazekage and another village's shinobi.

"Yes, I will try to leave the office more."

"Good."

"You trying to get our Kazekage to slack off?" Koji joked.

"I'm trying to get him to stop falling asleep at his desk. He works late hours, and needs to relax sometimes."

Naruto stumbled down the street with Gaara by his side, laughing, grinning ear to ear, happy to be alive. Happy to be with the one he loved.

"Love?" Naruto stopped, "You had a good time tonight, didn't you?"

"Yeah." Gaara nodded along, trying to heard his drunk boyfriend back to his apartment.

"You're not just lying to make me happy, right?"

"No, Naruto, I'm not lying. Tonight was a good idea."

"Ya' sure I didn't make it awkward? I wanted tonight to be fun for you, but then I think I messed it up." he fidgeted with the edges of his jacket.

"You could never mess it up."

"Now I know you're lying. I mess so many things up." Naruto avoided his lead.

Gaara hated it when he talked like that. For some reason, Naruto had a lot of self doubt. He knew the reason, one Uchiha Sasuke. That man instilled it into the free loving blonde whenever he had the chance.

"Naruto, tonight was fine."

"I shouldn't have made you go."

"You didn't make me do anything."

"Okay," Naruto finally accepted that.

"I mean it, I had a good time. I'm glad we got to spend more time together. And I think your friends know that we're dating now."

"Oh no…" Naruto realized they couldn't hide, "Is that a bad thing?"

"No. I don't think any of them will tell the council."

"So, it's okay that they know?"

"Of course." The only issue was the Council finding out and having to make a decision before they were ready. "I don't want to keep you a secret."

"Oh… yeah," Naruto seemed to forget why they did it.

"Now let's go home?" Gaara wrapped his arm around Naruto's mid section to keep him from wandering off.

Naruto nodded. Letting Gaara lead him back. His head rested on Gaara's shoulder. They should really care how obvious they were being, but they don't. Naruto's eyes close, knowing his boyfriend would take him home.

They opened and Naruto saw, "that's my favorite part of the whole city."

Naruto took off. He took Gaara's hand on his own and pulled him forward. Naruto just had to show Gaara. The alpha was too off guard not to follow along.

It was less than ten years old. It was a walking bridge that overlooked the restaurant district. It was late enough in the night for people to really start going out. It was alive with people. And it was beautiful.

"Ameno and I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago." Naruto looked over at him, "after one of our weekly hang outs. We spent hours afterwards just chatting. All that time we saw everyone moving about, closing up shops… I don't know it was amazing."

Gaara looked out to the city, "Yeah, it is."

This was exactly what he hoped would happen when he invited Naruto to stay in Sunagakure. Gaara wanted Naruto to feel like it was a second home. Now he had his own favorite spots, with his own memories, with his own friends.

Everything was perfect.

It must have been the strength of the alcohol tonight, because here under the lights, Naruto finally said, "I love you."

"What?" Gaara couldn't have heard that right.

"Oh… was that too soon?"

Too soon was not even close to what that was. Gaara's been in love with Naruto for what felt like eternity. It was so true it was written within the stars above them. Naruto once asked about soul mates, and back then he didn't know, now he knew.

Soul mates had to be real.

Because how else could you explain them? Two people from completely different villages, once on different sides of battle, one trying to destroy the other, slowly falling in love. That was too epic of a story for the stars not to get involved.

"No. Naruto… it's not-

"I'm sorry!" Naruto looked around for an exit, "I can take it back."

"Don't do that."

"It was too soon and I-

"I love you too." Gaara had to stop this nonsense, "I've loved you for a long time. I've loved you since before we were together officially. I've wanted to say it for the entirety of us being together. Naruto, I love you."

Naruto had helped Gaara redefine love.

Love used to be a thing that he never felt worthy of. Love was a thing that would get you hurt. Love killed. Love destroyed. Love was pain. Love was a word Gaara scarred on his body to remind himself not to be foolish and fall to its twisted desires.

Now.

Naruto smiled, "I love you, Gaara."