The Silver Wolf: hello, hello once again one and all, and welcome to this rarely updated page of mine. For the better part of two years now I've been at a loss as to how to continue this story, and since I finally started watching the show again, I figured out how, finally. Weather you enjoy it or not, this is what I've come up with. If you don't prefer this, you're more than welcome to stop reading at chapter 6 or 7…which is where I intended to end this story from the very beginning in the first place. But some people said they didn't like the way it ended, others said it felt like it wasn't done….ugh…the story goes back almost 7+/- years, I don't have time to tell it. Anyway, I started watching the show again about a month or so ago, from the beginning, and once I got to the part in the show where Gaara makes his first appearance at the Chunin exams, it hit me…. I had finally figured out how to finish this story. Now, enough of my babbling, you came for a good continued story did you not?
Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is Naruto, names, likenesses, abilities, etc. Shonen Jump takes the credit for that, this is strictly a work of fiction based on a fandom that exists within the dark reaches of the internet. Nothing that is depicted within this story reflects the writer, nor the creator of the characters. This is simply the work of a highly creative college art student with nothing better to do on her spring break.
Chapter 9: Move Silently Gaara, Tread Softly Naruto
Gaara looked out at the sky as the swirling clouds began to gather again, once he knew for certain it indeed was not the weather he rushed inside, "Boys, time to go. We need to split up, Sasuke, you stay with me, Itachi, head to the ramen shop and get Naruto and Shikamaru. We'll need all the help we can to get you guys out of here without being noticed. Meet at the city wall behind the book shop. GO!"
Gaara did not hesitate and grabbed Sasuke by the collar and ran out the back door of the house with him, Itachi didn't have time to react before a sound ninja's sonic blast ripped the place apart.
"Itachi!" Sasuke screamed as Gaara carried him away under his arm.
"Quiet Sasuke! Weren't you the top of your class? You should know better. I'm sure Itachi is fine. Can you run? Can you keep up with me?" Gaara looked down at him in a very serious manner.
Gaara was right, he needed to focus on what happened, they hired Gaara as a live in body guard for a reason, the kid knew what he was doing, and he knew it well. For Itachi's sake Sasuke had no choice but to listen and obey Gaara so at least he will get away safe. He nodded at Gaara as he set him down to run on his own.
They reached the designated meeting spot, but no one was there yet, and Sasuke's face dropped. With his brother's far superior speed him and the others should have beat them there, but they were alone, just him and Gaara.
Gaara watched Sasuke's face drop from hopeful to sadness in a matter of seconds. "Don't worry Sasuke, Naruto and Shikamaru are looking for him now. I had Shukaku contact the Nine-tailed Fox, they know what's going on. They should be here soon." Gaara looked straight ahead of them into the city's center as if waiting for something, and Sasuke perked up a bit.
"Sorry that took so long, I had to have some shadow clones get the sound ninja off our tracks. For being masters of sound they sure do have a hard time telling the difference between shadows and real people hehehe."
"Naruto!" Sasuke lept up as soon as he heard the familiar voice. "Where's my brother?"
"Right here Sasuke" Shikamaru came up behind Naruto holding Itachi over one shoulder. Sasuke ran up to him, but he was knocked out and unconscious.
"What happened to him?" Sasuke looked worried.
"He was hit pretty bad in the head by flying debris when that sound blast hit the house, he's been out of it since we found him, but he's still breathing and that's the important thing right?" Shikamaru looked down at Sasuke and gave him a hopeful smile.
"We need to get him to Tsuande, and quietly." Gaara looked over at Sasuke in particular.
"Why are you looking at me? Naruto's usually the noisy one." Sasuke pouted.
Gaara smirked, "Let's move, and stay quiet, these are sound ninja we're dealing with after all."
"Naruto, can you take Itachi now? We'll take turns" Shika turned over to look at Naruto with a tired expression on his face. "By the way, Gaara, do I really have to come with you guys? I'd rather stay home."
"Consider it a mission and you'll be compensated for it." Gaara snapped back.
"What a drag….." Shika put his hands in his pockets and followed after the rest of the group.
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"Hey Gaara, are you okay?" Sasuke asked as they sat around a camp fire charring some fresh caught fish to eat for dinner.
Gaara snapped out of his day dream and looked over at Sasuke, "Hm?"
"You just seem a little distracted, that's all. I was just wondering if you were okay." Sasuke said as he handed Gaara a nicely cooked fish on a stick.
Gaara's gaze shifted to Naruto who was sitting across from him on the other side of the fire, "Yea, I'm fine Sasuke, thanks. It's just Shukaku talking nonsense in my head."
"Oh, okay, well if that's all it is then."Gaara nodded in agreement as he took the fish from Sasuke and sat quietly and ate his dinner.
"What's Shukaku saying to you? Fox boy's been saying some pretty weird shit to me too lately, I don't get why." Naruto chimed in, obviously eaves dropping from across the way.
"None of your concern Naruto, just going over strategies on how to get through this forest without being noticed."
"OH don't lie to the man! Come on….come on! TELL THEM!" Shukaku screamed in Gaara's head so loud it almost gave him a headache enough to pass out….but he kept himself awake if only to keep Shukaku inside and to keep this embarrassment to himself.
"Oh, okay Gaara, anything I can do to help?" Naruto asked, but his question was returned with silence, Gaara's head was splitting open and it would hurt to talk.
"Let the man think Naruto, he's the one running the show around here, he out ranks all of us except for Itachi…who's out of commission right now with a concussion." Shikamaru scolded the blond haired boy and they all ate the rest of their fish in silence.
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"PST….naruto…."
"huh….? Oh it's you…what do you want fox? I'm trying to sleep, I need all my strength to help these guys in the morning when we move."
"Yea I know, but did you see the way Gaara was staring at you at dinner? Didn't you find that weird at all?"
"Well, yea kinda, but he must have just been spacing out while he was thinking, I do that sometimes too. It's not a big deal."
"Naruto, think about it…that man never spaces out…..you couldn't feel Shukaku pounding at his skull, but I could. Something's up…and I'm pretty sure it has to do with you…or us."
"Now why would you think that?" Naruto outwardly rolled his eyes.
"Naruto come ON! You can't be THAT dense can you?" the fox spoke in an almost scolding manner.
Naruto was becoming fed up with Kurama talking in puzzles and riddles and outwardly shouted, "CAN YOU JUST SPIT IT OUT ALREADY YOU STUPID FOX!?"
"Idiot…"
"Huh?" Naruto looked around and everyone had woken and was now staring at him.
"Calm down everyone….he was arguing with the nine-tailed fox…." Gaara's low raspy voice emerged from the darkness of the trees to the right of Naruto. He was leaned up against a tree trunk smirking, almost laughing to himself.
Naruto's face went slightly red with embarrassment, and in the darkness of the night hidden by the shadows of the trees Gaara's face turned a light shade of pink as well.
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Sasuke turned back to Itachi and continued to keep his temperature under control with a cloth that had been dipped in the river. Itachi was sweating while he slept. Sasuke knew it was important for them to get his brother to Tsuande, and that he needed his sleep to keep his strength up. He curled up into a sleeping bag next to Itachi and put his arm around him and fell asleep on his brothers shoulder.
Gaara watched as Sasuke finally nodded off to sleep, he wished he could sleep, nod off and not have to worry about Shukaku causing problems.
He turned his sultry tired gaze to the night sky, and wished as hard as he could that he didn't have this curse forced upon him, that he might actually get to sleep at night. Suddenly, there was a presence next to him, and he turned to see Naruto sitting next to him.
"What's up buddy? Don't you ever get tired of being tired all the time? Why don't you ever let Shukaku come out? I'm sure he can't be that bad." Naruto sat next to Gaara and quietly spoke his thoughts.
"Naruto, aside from when we used to be enemies….have you ever met Shukaku? He's not exactly one I'd let out and take my chances with." Gaara looked around away from Naruto, if only to keep his eyes open…they always felt so heavy at night.
"No, I haven't met the non-angry him. Is there a non-angry Shukaku?"
"Yes, Shukaku has 3 settings, calm, angry, and horny, and that's it." Gaara's face tinted pink slightly.
Naruto's face blushed a wicked shade of red. "Oh, I'm sorry…uh…well hm…why not just let him out and take a nap or sleep when he's in one of his good moods? Uh…calm moods rather."
Gaara looked at him as if he was out of his mind, but then again the nine tailed fox doesn't give Naruto sleeping problems, so there's no way he would understand how Gaara felt. "Naruto….the reason I don't let Shukaku out lately is because he's only ever been in his horny mood. Ever since Sasuke went exclusive with his brother, I've been unable to keep him satisfied….."Gaara's voice trailed off unexpectedly.
"Gaara….?" Naruto gave him a sympathetic look.
"What?" Gaara looked back at him.
"I'm sorry for this….but fox boy's told me to…."
"WHAT? WHY ARE YOU BLAMING ME! I DID NOT!...NARUTO!" Kurama watched from behind his bars as Naruto took a leap of faith and kissed Gaara. Wide eyed, the fox turned around and tried to ignore it the best he could.
Gaara's eyes went wide in surprise and as soon as his shock wore off he quickly backed away and pushed Naruto back.
"Naruto…."Gaara's voice seemed almost angry. "Don't you do this…." He warned as he closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
"I said I was sorry Gaara….I thought it would help…" Naruto, sounding defeated turned to walk away and pretend like that never happened. But before he could get very far, he felt Gaara grab his wrist and pull him back into a forceful embrace and an even more forceful kiss.
"oh fuck…."Kurama's ears fell back, "I knew something was up…but I didn't think this was what it was…oh boy…."
"Well well…..how about that…"Shikamaru whispered quietly to himself as he watched the scene unfold in front of him, one eye open from the comfort of his sleeping bag.
Gaara moved his hand from gripping Naruto's wrist to snaking it around his waist and pulling him closer so they were as close as they could be to each other.
Naruto didn't resist, even though Kurama was trying to tell him not to encourage Shukaku, that he didn't need to be Gaara's new Sasuke.
Naruto wasn't stupid though, he knew Gaara was only ever so slightly stronger than he was, plus he wasn't totally against this either. Gaara was right, ever since Sasuke stopped letting them do this to him, he's been pent up as well. Both boys needed this.
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The Silver Wolf: well how was that?