Fix You
Title: Fix You
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: Gaara/Naruto, Sasuke/Naruto, mentioned Sakura/Sasuke
Rating: T
Disclaimer: All lyrics don't belong to me, and neither does Naruto (damn).
Summary: Because Sasuke is a bastard and Gaara can kick his pale Uchiha ass any day. Nyah.
Fix You
Part One: Oh, It Is Love
"To ease every fear
And dry up every tear
And make it very clear
I kiss you and I know
It is love from the first
Time I press my lips against yours
Thinking, "Oh, is it love?"
When Naruto was fifteen, he nearly gave up on his dream of getting Sasuke back. He'd seen the Uchiha all of two times, and it seemed like he was pretty determined. Naruto, who was the one who knew Sasuke best, was the first to realize that if he was so determined it was going to be very hard to get him back. Very, very hard.
So he stopped going out for Sasuke. He stayed in the village like a good little weapon, ignoring the frustration it caused him. Naruto was the king of ignoring things. He'd managed to do so with the villagers all these years, hadn't he? So Naruto waited. Waiting, he wasn't so good at, but he could do it, to a certain extent. And he knew that Sasuke would finish his goal sooner or later. And after that, Naruto would be able to bring him back. Because Naruto was well aware that until Sasuke saw Itachi's stone-cold dead body, the Uchiha would fight him every inch of the way back to Konoha, and then probably escape again.
When he was sixteen, Tsunade found The Document. It was old, possibly ten years, and she had found it stuck in a small, hidden cabinet that would have remained lost to her forever had she not banged her desk too hard while drunk. Looking back, Naruto laughed about that. The whole thing had started because of Tsunade's need for drink. That was irony for you.
The Document outlined in detail, Itachi's sacrifice for the village. Naruto, who had never been particularly fond of the oldest Uchiha for what he'd done to Sasuke, found himself sympathizing immensely with him. And now that he harbored more tender feelings, he couldn't let him be killed. Especially not for a crime that he was forced to commit by the bastards on the Konoha Council.
So, he went after Sasuke again. And when he found him, he used one of his Awesome Ninja Techniques to hold him down and shove The Document in his face. Naruto would never forget the look on Sasuke's face after he read it, and often lamented about his lack of a camera to document the whole thing. Such a loss of blackmail material.
So, Sasuke came back with him, full of anger at the Konoha council. Naruto managed to convince them not to chop Sasuke's head off just yet, with the stunning debate that Sasuke never really left of his own will, and that Orochimaru's curse seal had been controlling him. It was bullshit, of course, but Naruto was loyal and he didn't particularly care that he was lying to the bastards that had doomed Sasuke to this fate to begin with.
And then Sasuke moved in with him, because the Council was paranoid (with good reason, admittedly, considering Sasuke's murderous attitude towards them) and had become convinced that the Kyuubi vessel was the only one that could hold him back. Naruto didn't argue because, well, he was happy to have Sasuke back.
They lived together for three months before The Incident happened. It was accidental, of course, much like their first kiss. Naruto, clumsy as always, tripped over Sasuke's legs as he was sitting on the couch. He tumbled into Sasuke's lap, nose meeting the dip where neck met shoulder, and brushing an accidental kiss against the soft skin. Sasuke shuddered, and Naruto suddenly realized how pretty his teammate was.
Their coupling was awkward for the first couple of times. They both had no idea what they were doing, and only rudimentary instruction on sex; even then, it was only instruction on sex with girls. But after that, it got better. And after three months of sleeping together, it was wonderful.
Naruto had been sure he was in love. Every move Sasuke made captured his attention, every word he spoke reaching his ears, every smile he made treasured. And Naruto, completely enamored, began the spiraling descent of first love, caught up in the tender sweetness and sure that this would last forever, because how could anything so good come to an end?
But it did. And it wasn't pretty.
Part Two: Porcelain Heart
"Someone said "A broken heart
Would sting at first then make you stronger"
You wonder why this pain remains
Were hearts made whole just to break?"
They'd been together six months when Naruto began to notice the changes. They were subtle at first. Less affectionate touches during the day, less softly spoken words during sex. Then Sasuke began disappearing at odd hours, with strange excuses for his absence. And slowly but surely, the sex became limited and then came to a halt altogether.
Naruto, confused by this sudden change, tried to confront Sasuke, but the Uchiha was the king of redirection, and always managed to distract the blond somehow. So Naruto decided he would figure things out on his own. He always did it before, and this time would be no different. Determined, he stayed up late one night and waited for Sasuke to leave on his mysterious errands, as he always did. Concealing his chakra he managed to stalk Sasuke to an unfamiliar house.
When he saw Sakura open the door, a feeling of unease tightened in Naruto's stomach, making it difficult for him to breathe. He slowly made his way to the window, dreading and needing to see what was inside at the same time. When his eyes reached the glass, he felt his heart shatter into dozens of raw, sharp little pieces, and a strangled sound rose from his throat, as if he was a cat who'd just gotten his tail stepped on.
Inside, Sasuke and Sakura were on the couch, intertwined. Their mouths were attached heavily, and Naruto could see Sasuke's hands palming Sakura's breasts. They both had expressions of utter bliss on their faces, as if they had every right to be where they were and were not, in fact, hurting their one-time teammate and friend.
Naruto stumbled away from the window hastily, feeling tears prickle at the edge of his eyes. He felt an urging need to be sick and, without further ado, bent over the bushes and puked out the remains of his ramen dinner. He hunched there for what must have been an hour, feeling cold, and sick, and miserable.
And then, like he had always done, Naruto forced him to move forward. Because he had never wallowed in self-pity before, and no Uchiha would make him do it now. So, slowly, step by step, he made his way to the Hokage's Tower, which was, of course, empty at this time of day. So, unwilling to go back to the home that Sasuke and he had shared, he hunched by the side of the building, waiting for daylight to come.
When the sun rose and the Hokage entered her domain, Naruto went inside. He looked into Tsunade's eyes, ignoring her concerned look at his heart-broken face, and asked to be put on leave. He wanted three months of vacation time, but he wouldn't tell her why, only that he needed it and if he didn't have it, it was likely he'd get himself killed in a mission. Tsunade consented, and then asked, "Where will you go?"
Naruto said the first thing that came to mind, "Suna."
Part Three: Behind These Hazel Eyes
"Seems like just yesterday
You were a part of me
I used to stand so tall
I used to be so strong
Your arms around me tight
Everything, it felt so right
Unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong
Now I can't breathe
No, I can't sleep
I'm barely hanging on."
Suna was dry and hot when Naruto arrived, but it looked more welcoming in that moment than Konoha had in all the time he'd lived there.
Temari was the one to greet him at the gate. She gave him a warm smile, and a hearty hug, her fan clanking against his hand as he put his arms awkwardly around her shoulders. It felt nice, in a way, but she wasn't the one he wanted to see.
Temari led him to the Kazekage's Tower, chattering about everything that had happened since they saw each other last with every step of the way. She noticed that Naruto didn't talk as much as he used to, and she noticed the look on his face that was so heart-breakingly familiar. But she didn't say anything. She knew that she wasn't the one he wanted to talk to.
Gaara's only change since Naruto saw him last was in height. He'd shot up sometime between fifteen and sixteen; he wasn't nearly as tall as Kakashi, but he managed to put a few inches between him and Naruto. But the Ai tattoo was still there, and the green eyes were still as familiar as ever. Nothing between them had changed.
"Uzumaki," Gaara said emotionlessly, but there was a spark of warmth in his bright eyes that only Naruto would see. And the blond did see it, and responded with his first smile since leaving Konoha.
"Gaara," he said warmly, sweeping the other boy into a hug. For a moment, Gaara was stiff and uncertain, and then he relaxed into Naruto's hold, even going so far as to clasp him back. For a moment, Naruto felt a dizzying sense of rightness, but it was gone as he stepped away, and he thought that he'd just imagined it. "It's good to see you again," he told his friend.
"Why are you here?" Gaara asked quietly, but not unkindly. He looked, if anything, faintly puzzled. As he well should have been. Naruto was known for his love of Konoha and the ninja ways, so the blond's break was puzzling to anyone that knew him well.
"I just-" Naruto sighed, and closed his eyes. "I just needed a break," he said quietly. "Some time away."
When he re-opened his eyes, Gaara was looking at him thoughtfully. "You may stay," he said. "I'll have a room made for you."
"Room? What?" Naruto asked, confused. Gaara didn't answer him, he just stood and started walking away. "Wait a second-what room, Gaara? Gaara!"
The room, apparently, was a place to sleep in the Sabaku sibling's house. At first, Naruto declined; he'd planned on staying in a hotel, or just sleeping outside if he'd needed to. But with one blank look from Gaara and a particularly threatening glare from Temari, Naruto had officially become a member of the Sabaku household.
He rose early every morning, and watched the sun rise. The colors it painted were bright and gorgeous against the drab setting of the desert surrounding him, and Naruto marveled at it. After a few times, Gaara joined him. Even with the absence of his demon, he was an insomniac out of habit.
"They're so beautiful," Naruto murmured to his companion one morning, about a week after his arrival. "Bright, too, you know?" Gaara edged a look at the blond and was alarmed to see how bright the blue eyes were. Naruto looked like he was on the edge of tears. "Wouldn't it be nice if the entire world was always a sunrise?" he asked Gaara. "Wouldn't it be nice if everything was beautiful?"
"No," Gaara said, quietly, but firmly. Naruto stared at him in shock. "If everything was always beautiful and wonderful then we'd become used to it and then ignore it. It would cease to be beautiful and wonderful anymore," he explained, not quite sure why he was doing so. Perhaps it was because of the look on Naruto's face. "When things become dark, the beauty that follows is much more wonderful because then we can appreciate it. That is why night is always followed by a sunrise."
Naruto surprised him by bursting into tears. Gaara frowned, unsure of what to do. He'd never had to deal with a crying friend before. Maybe a hug . . . .? He hesitantly drew Naruto to his side, relieved when the blond immediately tucked himself against Gaara's body. At least one of them knew what he was doing.
"I t-though he l-loved me!" Naruto howled, and Gaara's frown deepened. 'Who?' he thought, feeling a strange feeling curl in the pit of his stomach. "W-why would h-he go t-to her? I t-though she w-was my f-friend!" The sobs were pouring harder out of Naruto now, and Gaara tightened his grip on the shaking blond. Obviously, Naruto had been involved with someone and this someone had cheated on him with a female friend. Gaara felt anger blossom in his chest. Someone had hurt Naruto. Deliberately.
"Do you want me to kill him?" he offered, wondering if it would help. Naruto blinked up at him with tear filled eyes and then gave a shaky laugh, filling Gaara with yet another unnamed emotion. He tended to get those a lot around Naruto.
"No," the blond murmured, burrowing deeper into Gaara's side. "You don't need to kill anyone, Gaara. But thanks for the offer."
Gaara was strangely disappointed.
Part Four: Why Can't I?
"Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it
So tell me
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?
Isn't this the best part of breaking up
Finding someone else you can't get enough of
Someone who wants to be with you too."
The days dragged onwards, and Naruto slowly but surely began to heal. Instead of spending all day cooped up in the Sabaku household, he managed to spend some time outside. He didn't talk to the villagers, but they would see him and wonder. He stayed out of the way, mostly looking around in a dazed way and then disappearing back into the house. But still, it was a start.
Naruto had been there for a month and a half when he began to notice things about Gaara. They were little things, at first, like how often his hair fell into his eyes, the intricacy of the tattoo on his forehead. But as the days passed, and Naruto's broken heart pieced itself together bit by bit, his fascination with Gaara began to grow. And it was on the day that he'd been in Suna for two months when he realized that while he'd been picking himself from Sasuke's blow, he'd accidently fallen in love again.
With Gaara.
It was a terrifying thought, and one that made Naruto avoid his friend for three days straight as he came to terms with it. He carefully began thinking about his reactions to Gaara - the happiness he felt in the red-head's presence, the strange attraction to his oddly colored eyes and hair, the overwhelming affection when Gaara awkwardly tried to be nice. How he smiled whenever someone mentioned Gaara's name. How he went out of his way to make sure he saw Gaara at least once a day. Their dawn meetings.
He was falling in love with Gaara.
Naruto wasn't sure why his heart was tormenting him like this. First Sasuke, who'd turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life, and now Gaara, so soon after that heartbreak? He didn't want to be in a relationship. He just wanted to curl up and lick his wounds for a while. But, a little voice in his head pointed out, it had been two months. Sasuke had been his first love, but he needed to get over him. Moping wouldn't help anyone, least of all Naruto. And Gaara was better than Sasuke, the voice reasoned. If Gaara cheated, Naruto would be the first to know, because he was just that honest with others, and with himself.
"But you're getting ahead of yourself," Naruto said out loud. "You don't even know if he feels the same way."
That was true. Gaara had never expressed any interest in Naruto beyond friendship. It made him wilt a little, but it also gave him a sense of relief. This way, maybe he could avoid heartbreak again.
When Naruto suddenly clung to him after four days absence, Gaara didn't say anything. He'd noticed the blond's strange behavior, and had puzzled about it, but he was just happy that Naruto had gotten over whatever was bothering him. Temari, being the only Sabaku female and clearly more perceptive than her two block-head brothers, was the one to notice Naruto's constant blushing around Gaara, as well as the fleeting glances and lingering hands. She smirked secretly to herself, pleased by the pairing. If there was ever anyone Temari approved of for Gaara's lover, it would be Naruto.
This was why she pulled her brother aside one morning after a meeting with the Council to speak with him about it. Gaara was one of the densest people she knew - even if Naruto had batted his eyelashes and giggled like a silly Academy girl, he would never suspect the blond of flirting. And, surprisingly, Naruto was subtle when he flirted. Almost too subtle.
So Temari had to step in, of course. She'd expected no less when it came to her younger brother's love life. "Gaara," she told him as they walked around Suna. "Naruto is flirting with you." She knew he'd appreciate the blunt honesty.
Gaara blinked, slowly. "Flirting?" he said, as if she was speaking in a foreign tongue. "Uzumaki?" Now he sounded even more bewildered. Inner Temari cooed; her little brother was absolutely adorable!
"Yes," she said patiently. "I think he likes you."
"Me?" Inner Temari's coos had reached an alarming volume. Gaara blinked once more, obviously stunned to anyone who knew him well. "He likes me?"
"Yes!" Temari said, a little impatiently now. While it was cute, Gaara was getting annoying with this whole repeating everything she said thing. "You should pursue him," she told Gaara bluntly. "If you need help from me, just ask." And then she was gone, leaving Gaara to think about this new development in his relationship with Naruto.
Part Five: Stolen
"We watch the season
Pull up its own stakes
And catch the last weekend
Of the last week
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced
Another sun soaked season fades away
You have stolen my heart."
Gaara watched Naruto for a week before he moved in.
He noticed how Naruto's eyes flitted to him whenever he was in the room, no matter if Naruto was talking to someone else, or how his fingers linger too long to be appropriate for just friends. And in turn, he noticed things about Naruto. How the blond's hair grew brighter under the hot Suna sun, how his eyes lit up when he laughed, how cute the whisker marks on his cheeks looked when he grinned.
Gaara had always known that Naruto held a special place in his heart. He never assumed that that position would lover, but he wasn't adverse to the idea. Naruto was good-looking, kind, and loving to an almost alarming degree. And if there was ever anyone Gaara wanted to be his lover, it would be Naruto.
So, during one of their dawn meetings, Gaara leaned over and kissed Naruto on the lips, softly but firmly. Never let it be said that Gaara was adverse to confrontation. Naruto had been shocked silly, and had instantly leapt away from Gaara, demanding to know what the hell he was doing. Gaara wasn't sure if Naruto realized that his eyes were sparkling, or that a smile was twitching at the edge of his lips. Instead of answering the blond, Gaara just leaned forward and kissed him again.
They spent the last three weeks of Naruto's vacation constantly together. Where one was, the other wasn't far away. And in a slower way, they fell in love. Naruto was happy with that; he'd learned to distrust the dizzying sensation of fast love and welcomed this new, slower wooing. It was unlike anything he'd had with Sasuke, and he found himself liking it better.
But the days passed, and finally, it was time to leave Suna.
Part Six: Gone
"There is nothing you can say
Sorry doesn't cut it, babe
Take the hit and walk away
'Cause I'm gone
Doesn't matter what you do
It's what you did that's hurting you
All I needed was the truth
Now I'm gone."
Naruto was waiting by Suna's gate, Gaara at his side, for the guards Tsunade had sent to arrive. He'd been surprised that the old hag was sending an escort, but apparently raids were getting worse, and Akatsuki members had been sighted around Konoha. They were taking no chances.
He felt his heart drop when he got the first glimpse of his guard, and gasped when the familiar features of Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno filled his vision. His grip on Gaara's arm had tightened to a painful degree, but the red-head only looked down at his pained face curiously before his eyes narrowed and he looked back at his lover's two teammates with suspicion in his eyes. Naruto had never told him who his mysterious lover was, or who this lover had cheated on him with, but he could tell from Naruto's reaction that they were standing in front of them. Gaara gritted his teeth. 'Do not kill, do not kill, do not kill . . . .'
"Naruto!" Sakura cried, and ran forward, only to stop as Naruto shrank from her into Gaara's side. Sasuke's face darkened at that move. "We were so worried about you!" Sakura said, a little more hesitantly than he previous cry. "Why did you need to take a three month vacation, baka?"
"Yes, dobe," Sasuke said silkily. "Do explain why you left without an explanation."
Naruto stiffened and Gaara wanted to bite off Uchiha's head. Luckily, Naruto managed to get to it before he did - and, of course, the blond went about it figuratively instead of literally, as Gaara would have.
"You don't have the right to ask me anything anymore, Uchiha," Naruto hissed, his eyes narrow and dark with anger.
Sasuke rose to the challenge. "What do you mean by that, dobe?"
"When you decided to cheat on me with Sakura of all people, your forfeited any right you had in my life," Naruto was practically spitting now, his back bristling. Gaara was strangely proud of his little lover. Sakura's mouth had opened wide with shock, and Sasuke had paled to a dangerous degree. Naruto smirked vindictively. "Yes, I saw you. And thanks ever so much for coming clean and telling me about your little affair Sasuke. I'm glad that our relationship was so honest." Gaara was surprised at Naruto's sarcasm. He'd never know the blond had it in him.
"Dobe, I-"
"No!" Naruto cried. "You obviously didn't want me anymore, Sasuke, so I left so I wouldn't have to see your cheating face! And I've moved on too!" He whirled around, seized Gaara by the face and drew him in for a long, passionate kiss.
Gaara enjoyed the warm wetness of his lover's mouth leisurely, completely comfortable with showing off their relationship to Uchiha and Haruno. Their tongues intertwined, and Gaara felt Naruto relax into him and smirked, wrapping his arms around the blond's waist. Naruto's fingers went up to tangle in his hair, pulling them even closer.
When they finally pulled apart, Naruto was flushed and Gaara aroused. Uchiha had a murderous look in his eye, and Haruno was blushing and wide-eyed. Gaara smirked and drew Naruto against him, staring Uchiha straight in the eyes.
"You lose," he said simply, ignoring Uchiha's growl. The idiot wouldn't be able to attack him unless he wanted to start a war. He turned to Naruto.
"Tell Tsunade that I expect you back here in a week and a half," he told him. "After all, we will need to . . . negotiate our terms of alliance . . . ." Naruto laughed, and leaned up to kiss Gaara.
"Of course, Kazekage-sama," he said cheekily. "I'll see you soon," he added, softer and more serious. Gaara simply nodded, and drew Naruto against him for a final kiss.
When they broke apart, Gaara instantly stepped away from the blond, not trusting himself to stop Naruto from leaving if they were still touching. Naruto sent him an understanding look and started to walk away.
Gaara watched him go, and then turned to go back into his city. He smirked; he'd see Naruto in a week, and maybe if he was lucky Uchiha would be the one to escort him . . . . Inner Gaara cackled to itself, already planning Uchiha's downfall . . . .
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: Gaara/Naruto, Sasuke/Naruto, mentioned Sakura/Sasuke
Rating: T
Disclaimer: All lyrics don't belong to me, and neither does Naruto (damn).
Summary: Because Sasuke is a bastard and Gaara can kick his pale Uchiha ass any day. Nyah.
Fix You
Part One: Oh, It Is Love
"To ease every fear
And dry up every tear
And make it very clear
I kiss you and I know
It is love from the first
Time I press my lips against yours
Thinking, "Oh, is it love?"
When Naruto was fifteen, he nearly gave up on his dream of getting Sasuke back. He'd seen the Uchiha all of two times, and it seemed like he was pretty determined. Naruto, who was the one who knew Sasuke best, was the first to realize that if he was so determined it was going to be very hard to get him back. Very, very hard.
So he stopped going out for Sasuke. He stayed in the village like a good little weapon, ignoring the frustration it caused him. Naruto was the king of ignoring things. He'd managed to do so with the villagers all these years, hadn't he? So Naruto waited. Waiting, he wasn't so good at, but he could do it, to a certain extent. And he knew that Sasuke would finish his goal sooner or later. And after that, Naruto would be able to bring him back. Because Naruto was well aware that until Sasuke saw Itachi's stone-cold dead body, the Uchiha would fight him every inch of the way back to Konoha, and then probably escape again.
When he was sixteen, Tsunade found The Document. It was old, possibly ten years, and she had found it stuck in a small, hidden cabinet that would have remained lost to her forever had she not banged her desk too hard while drunk. Looking back, Naruto laughed about that. The whole thing had started because of Tsunade's need for drink. That was irony for you.
The Document outlined in detail, Itachi's sacrifice for the village. Naruto, who had never been particularly fond of the oldest Uchiha for what he'd done to Sasuke, found himself sympathizing immensely with him. And now that he harbored more tender feelings, he couldn't let him be killed. Especially not for a crime that he was forced to commit by the bastards on the Konoha Council.
So, he went after Sasuke again. And when he found him, he used one of his Awesome Ninja Techniques to hold him down and shove The Document in his face. Naruto would never forget the look on Sasuke's face after he read it, and often lamented about his lack of a camera to document the whole thing. Such a loss of blackmail material.
So, Sasuke came back with him, full of anger at the Konoha council. Naruto managed to convince them not to chop Sasuke's head off just yet, with the stunning debate that Sasuke never really left of his own will, and that Orochimaru's curse seal had been controlling him. It was bullshit, of course, but Naruto was loyal and he didn't particularly care that he was lying to the bastards that had doomed Sasuke to this fate to begin with.
And then Sasuke moved in with him, because the Council was paranoid (with good reason, admittedly, considering Sasuke's murderous attitude towards them) and had become convinced that the Kyuubi vessel was the only one that could hold him back. Naruto didn't argue because, well, he was happy to have Sasuke back.
They lived together for three months before The Incident happened. It was accidental, of course, much like their first kiss. Naruto, clumsy as always, tripped over Sasuke's legs as he was sitting on the couch. He tumbled into Sasuke's lap, nose meeting the dip where neck met shoulder, and brushing an accidental kiss against the soft skin. Sasuke shuddered, and Naruto suddenly realized how pretty his teammate was.
Their coupling was awkward for the first couple of times. They both had no idea what they were doing, and only rudimentary instruction on sex; even then, it was only instruction on sex with girls. But after that, it got better. And after three months of sleeping together, it was wonderful.
Naruto had been sure he was in love. Every move Sasuke made captured his attention, every word he spoke reaching his ears, every smile he made treasured. And Naruto, completely enamored, began the spiraling descent of first love, caught up in the tender sweetness and sure that this would last forever, because how could anything so good come to an end?
But it did. And it wasn't pretty.
Part Two: Porcelain Heart
"Someone said "A broken heart
Would sting at first then make you stronger"
You wonder why this pain remains
Were hearts made whole just to break?"
They'd been together six months when Naruto began to notice the changes. They were subtle at first. Less affectionate touches during the day, less softly spoken words during sex. Then Sasuke began disappearing at odd hours, with strange excuses for his absence. And slowly but surely, the sex became limited and then came to a halt altogether.
Naruto, confused by this sudden change, tried to confront Sasuke, but the Uchiha was the king of redirection, and always managed to distract the blond somehow. So Naruto decided he would figure things out on his own. He always did it before, and this time would be no different. Determined, he stayed up late one night and waited for Sasuke to leave on his mysterious errands, as he always did. Concealing his chakra he managed to stalk Sasuke to an unfamiliar house.
When he saw Sakura open the door, a feeling of unease tightened in Naruto's stomach, making it difficult for him to breathe. He slowly made his way to the window, dreading and needing to see what was inside at the same time. When his eyes reached the glass, he felt his heart shatter into dozens of raw, sharp little pieces, and a strangled sound rose from his throat, as if he was a cat who'd just gotten his tail stepped on.
Inside, Sasuke and Sakura were on the couch, intertwined. Their mouths were attached heavily, and Naruto could see Sasuke's hands palming Sakura's breasts. They both had expressions of utter bliss on their faces, as if they had every right to be where they were and were not, in fact, hurting their one-time teammate and friend.
Naruto stumbled away from the window hastily, feeling tears prickle at the edge of his eyes. He felt an urging need to be sick and, without further ado, bent over the bushes and puked out the remains of his ramen dinner. He hunched there for what must have been an hour, feeling cold, and sick, and miserable.
And then, like he had always done, Naruto forced him to move forward. Because he had never wallowed in self-pity before, and no Uchiha would make him do it now. So, slowly, step by step, he made his way to the Hokage's Tower, which was, of course, empty at this time of day. So, unwilling to go back to the home that Sasuke and he had shared, he hunched by the side of the building, waiting for daylight to come.
When the sun rose and the Hokage entered her domain, Naruto went inside. He looked into Tsunade's eyes, ignoring her concerned look at his heart-broken face, and asked to be put on leave. He wanted three months of vacation time, but he wouldn't tell her why, only that he needed it and if he didn't have it, it was likely he'd get himself killed in a mission. Tsunade consented, and then asked, "Where will you go?"
Naruto said the first thing that came to mind, "Suna."
Part Three: Behind These Hazel Eyes
"Seems like just yesterday
You were a part of me
I used to stand so tall
I used to be so strong
Your arms around me tight
Everything, it felt so right
Unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong
Now I can't breathe
No, I can't sleep
I'm barely hanging on."
Suna was dry and hot when Naruto arrived, but it looked more welcoming in that moment than Konoha had in all the time he'd lived there.
Temari was the one to greet him at the gate. She gave him a warm smile, and a hearty hug, her fan clanking against his hand as he put his arms awkwardly around her shoulders. It felt nice, in a way, but she wasn't the one he wanted to see.
Temari led him to the Kazekage's Tower, chattering about everything that had happened since they saw each other last with every step of the way. She noticed that Naruto didn't talk as much as he used to, and she noticed the look on his face that was so heart-breakingly familiar. But she didn't say anything. She knew that she wasn't the one he wanted to talk to.
Gaara's only change since Naruto saw him last was in height. He'd shot up sometime between fifteen and sixteen; he wasn't nearly as tall as Kakashi, but he managed to put a few inches between him and Naruto. But the Ai tattoo was still there, and the green eyes were still as familiar as ever. Nothing between them had changed.
"Uzumaki," Gaara said emotionlessly, but there was a spark of warmth in his bright eyes that only Naruto would see. And the blond did see it, and responded with his first smile since leaving Konoha.
"Gaara," he said warmly, sweeping the other boy into a hug. For a moment, Gaara was stiff and uncertain, and then he relaxed into Naruto's hold, even going so far as to clasp him back. For a moment, Naruto felt a dizzying sense of rightness, but it was gone as he stepped away, and he thought that he'd just imagined it. "It's good to see you again," he told his friend.
"Why are you here?" Gaara asked quietly, but not unkindly. He looked, if anything, faintly puzzled. As he well should have been. Naruto was known for his love of Konoha and the ninja ways, so the blond's break was puzzling to anyone that knew him well.
"I just-" Naruto sighed, and closed his eyes. "I just needed a break," he said quietly. "Some time away."
When he re-opened his eyes, Gaara was looking at him thoughtfully. "You may stay," he said. "I'll have a room made for you."
"Room? What?" Naruto asked, confused. Gaara didn't answer him, he just stood and started walking away. "Wait a second-what room, Gaara? Gaara!"
The room, apparently, was a place to sleep in the Sabaku sibling's house. At first, Naruto declined; he'd planned on staying in a hotel, or just sleeping outside if he'd needed to. But with one blank look from Gaara and a particularly threatening glare from Temari, Naruto had officially become a member of the Sabaku household.
He rose early every morning, and watched the sun rise. The colors it painted were bright and gorgeous against the drab setting of the desert surrounding him, and Naruto marveled at it. After a few times, Gaara joined him. Even with the absence of his demon, he was an insomniac out of habit.
"They're so beautiful," Naruto murmured to his companion one morning, about a week after his arrival. "Bright, too, you know?" Gaara edged a look at the blond and was alarmed to see how bright the blue eyes were. Naruto looked like he was on the edge of tears. "Wouldn't it be nice if the entire world was always a sunrise?" he asked Gaara. "Wouldn't it be nice if everything was beautiful?"
"No," Gaara said, quietly, but firmly. Naruto stared at him in shock. "If everything was always beautiful and wonderful then we'd become used to it and then ignore it. It would cease to be beautiful and wonderful anymore," he explained, not quite sure why he was doing so. Perhaps it was because of the look on Naruto's face. "When things become dark, the beauty that follows is much more wonderful because then we can appreciate it. That is why night is always followed by a sunrise."
Naruto surprised him by bursting into tears. Gaara frowned, unsure of what to do. He'd never had to deal with a crying friend before. Maybe a hug . . . .? He hesitantly drew Naruto to his side, relieved when the blond immediately tucked himself against Gaara's body. At least one of them knew what he was doing.
"I t-though he l-loved me!" Naruto howled, and Gaara's frown deepened. 'Who?' he thought, feeling a strange feeling curl in the pit of his stomach. "W-why would h-he go t-to her? I t-though she w-was my f-friend!" The sobs were pouring harder out of Naruto now, and Gaara tightened his grip on the shaking blond. Obviously, Naruto had been involved with someone and this someone had cheated on him with a female friend. Gaara felt anger blossom in his chest. Someone had hurt Naruto. Deliberately.
"Do you want me to kill him?" he offered, wondering if it would help. Naruto blinked up at him with tear filled eyes and then gave a shaky laugh, filling Gaara with yet another unnamed emotion. He tended to get those a lot around Naruto.
"No," the blond murmured, burrowing deeper into Gaara's side. "You don't need to kill anyone, Gaara. But thanks for the offer."
Gaara was strangely disappointed.
Part Four: Why Can't I?
"Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it
So tell me
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?
Isn't this the best part of breaking up
Finding someone else you can't get enough of
Someone who wants to be with you too."
The days dragged onwards, and Naruto slowly but surely began to heal. Instead of spending all day cooped up in the Sabaku household, he managed to spend some time outside. He didn't talk to the villagers, but they would see him and wonder. He stayed out of the way, mostly looking around in a dazed way and then disappearing back into the house. But still, it was a start.
Naruto had been there for a month and a half when he began to notice things about Gaara. They were little things, at first, like how often his hair fell into his eyes, the intricacy of the tattoo on his forehead. But as the days passed, and Naruto's broken heart pieced itself together bit by bit, his fascination with Gaara began to grow. And it was on the day that he'd been in Suna for two months when he realized that while he'd been picking himself from Sasuke's blow, he'd accidently fallen in love again.
With Gaara.
It was a terrifying thought, and one that made Naruto avoid his friend for three days straight as he came to terms with it. He carefully began thinking about his reactions to Gaara - the happiness he felt in the red-head's presence, the strange attraction to his oddly colored eyes and hair, the overwhelming affection when Gaara awkwardly tried to be nice. How he smiled whenever someone mentioned Gaara's name. How he went out of his way to make sure he saw Gaara at least once a day. Their dawn meetings.
He was falling in love with Gaara.
Naruto wasn't sure why his heart was tormenting him like this. First Sasuke, who'd turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life, and now Gaara, so soon after that heartbreak? He didn't want to be in a relationship. He just wanted to curl up and lick his wounds for a while. But, a little voice in his head pointed out, it had been two months. Sasuke had been his first love, but he needed to get over him. Moping wouldn't help anyone, least of all Naruto. And Gaara was better than Sasuke, the voice reasoned. If Gaara cheated, Naruto would be the first to know, because he was just that honest with others, and with himself.
"But you're getting ahead of yourself," Naruto said out loud. "You don't even know if he feels the same way."
That was true. Gaara had never expressed any interest in Naruto beyond friendship. It made him wilt a little, but it also gave him a sense of relief. This way, maybe he could avoid heartbreak again.
When Naruto suddenly clung to him after four days absence, Gaara didn't say anything. He'd noticed the blond's strange behavior, and had puzzled about it, but he was just happy that Naruto had gotten over whatever was bothering him. Temari, being the only Sabaku female and clearly more perceptive than her two block-head brothers, was the one to notice Naruto's constant blushing around Gaara, as well as the fleeting glances and lingering hands. She smirked secretly to herself, pleased by the pairing. If there was ever anyone Temari approved of for Gaara's lover, it would be Naruto.
This was why she pulled her brother aside one morning after a meeting with the Council to speak with him about it. Gaara was one of the densest people she knew - even if Naruto had batted his eyelashes and giggled like a silly Academy girl, he would never suspect the blond of flirting. And, surprisingly, Naruto was subtle when he flirted. Almost too subtle.
So Temari had to step in, of course. She'd expected no less when it came to her younger brother's love life. "Gaara," she told him as they walked around Suna. "Naruto is flirting with you." She knew he'd appreciate the blunt honesty.
Gaara blinked, slowly. "Flirting?" he said, as if she was speaking in a foreign tongue. "Uzumaki?" Now he sounded even more bewildered. Inner Temari cooed; her little brother was absolutely adorable!
"Yes," she said patiently. "I think he likes you."
"Me?" Inner Temari's coos had reached an alarming volume. Gaara blinked once more, obviously stunned to anyone who knew him well. "He likes me?"
"Yes!" Temari said, a little impatiently now. While it was cute, Gaara was getting annoying with this whole repeating everything she said thing. "You should pursue him," she told Gaara bluntly. "If you need help from me, just ask." And then she was gone, leaving Gaara to think about this new development in his relationship with Naruto.
Part Five: Stolen
"We watch the season
Pull up its own stakes
And catch the last weekend
Of the last week
Before the gold and the glimmer have been replaced
Another sun soaked season fades away
You have stolen my heart."
Gaara watched Naruto for a week before he moved in.
He noticed how Naruto's eyes flitted to him whenever he was in the room, no matter if Naruto was talking to someone else, or how his fingers linger too long to be appropriate for just friends. And in turn, he noticed things about Naruto. How the blond's hair grew brighter under the hot Suna sun, how his eyes lit up when he laughed, how cute the whisker marks on his cheeks looked when he grinned.
Gaara had always known that Naruto held a special place in his heart. He never assumed that that position would lover, but he wasn't adverse to the idea. Naruto was good-looking, kind, and loving to an almost alarming degree. And if there was ever anyone Gaara wanted to be his lover, it would be Naruto.
So, during one of their dawn meetings, Gaara leaned over and kissed Naruto on the lips, softly but firmly. Never let it be said that Gaara was adverse to confrontation. Naruto had been shocked silly, and had instantly leapt away from Gaara, demanding to know what the hell he was doing. Gaara wasn't sure if Naruto realized that his eyes were sparkling, or that a smile was twitching at the edge of his lips. Instead of answering the blond, Gaara just leaned forward and kissed him again.
They spent the last three weeks of Naruto's vacation constantly together. Where one was, the other wasn't far away. And in a slower way, they fell in love. Naruto was happy with that; he'd learned to distrust the dizzying sensation of fast love and welcomed this new, slower wooing. It was unlike anything he'd had with Sasuke, and he found himself liking it better.
But the days passed, and finally, it was time to leave Suna.
Part Six: Gone
"There is nothing you can say
Sorry doesn't cut it, babe
Take the hit and walk away
'Cause I'm gone
Doesn't matter what you do
It's what you did that's hurting you
All I needed was the truth
Now I'm gone."
Naruto was waiting by Suna's gate, Gaara at his side, for the guards Tsunade had sent to arrive. He'd been surprised that the old hag was sending an escort, but apparently raids were getting worse, and Akatsuki members had been sighted around Konoha. They were taking no chances.
He felt his heart drop when he got the first glimpse of his guard, and gasped when the familiar features of Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno filled his vision. His grip on Gaara's arm had tightened to a painful degree, but the red-head only looked down at his pained face curiously before his eyes narrowed and he looked back at his lover's two teammates with suspicion in his eyes. Naruto had never told him who his mysterious lover was, or who this lover had cheated on him with, but he could tell from Naruto's reaction that they were standing in front of them. Gaara gritted his teeth. 'Do not kill, do not kill, do not kill . . . .'
"Naruto!" Sakura cried, and ran forward, only to stop as Naruto shrank from her into Gaara's side. Sasuke's face darkened at that move. "We were so worried about you!" Sakura said, a little more hesitantly than he previous cry. "Why did you need to take a three month vacation, baka?"
"Yes, dobe," Sasuke said silkily. "Do explain why you left without an explanation."
Naruto stiffened and Gaara wanted to bite off Uchiha's head. Luckily, Naruto managed to get to it before he did - and, of course, the blond went about it figuratively instead of literally, as Gaara would have.
"You don't have the right to ask me anything anymore, Uchiha," Naruto hissed, his eyes narrow and dark with anger.
Sasuke rose to the challenge. "What do you mean by that, dobe?"
"When you decided to cheat on me with Sakura of all people, your forfeited any right you had in my life," Naruto was practically spitting now, his back bristling. Gaara was strangely proud of his little lover. Sakura's mouth had opened wide with shock, and Sasuke had paled to a dangerous degree. Naruto smirked vindictively. "Yes, I saw you. And thanks ever so much for coming clean and telling me about your little affair Sasuke. I'm glad that our relationship was so honest." Gaara was surprised at Naruto's sarcasm. He'd never know the blond had it in him.
"Dobe, I-"
"No!" Naruto cried. "You obviously didn't want me anymore, Sasuke, so I left so I wouldn't have to see your cheating face! And I've moved on too!" He whirled around, seized Gaara by the face and drew him in for a long, passionate kiss.
Gaara enjoyed the warm wetness of his lover's mouth leisurely, completely comfortable with showing off their relationship to Uchiha and Haruno. Their tongues intertwined, and Gaara felt Naruto relax into him and smirked, wrapping his arms around the blond's waist. Naruto's fingers went up to tangle in his hair, pulling them even closer.
When they finally pulled apart, Naruto was flushed and Gaara aroused. Uchiha had a murderous look in his eye, and Haruno was blushing and wide-eyed. Gaara smirked and drew Naruto against him, staring Uchiha straight in the eyes.
"You lose," he said simply, ignoring Uchiha's growl. The idiot wouldn't be able to attack him unless he wanted to start a war. He turned to Naruto.
"Tell Tsunade that I expect you back here in a week and a half," he told him. "After all, we will need to . . . negotiate our terms of alliance . . . ." Naruto laughed, and leaned up to kiss Gaara.
"Of course, Kazekage-sama," he said cheekily. "I'll see you soon," he added, softer and more serious. Gaara simply nodded, and drew Naruto against him for a final kiss.
When they broke apart, Gaara instantly stepped away from the blond, not trusting himself to stop Naruto from leaving if they were still touching. Naruto sent him an understanding look and started to walk away.
Gaara watched him go, and then turned to go back into his city. He smirked; he'd see Naruto in a week, and maybe if he was lucky Uchiha would be the one to escort him . . . . Inner Gaara cackled to itself, already planning Uchiha's downfall . . . .