For disclaimers and author's notes, check the previous chapter.

Naruto fled the office.

Gaara sighed and, gripping his desk, began banging his forehead against it. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did he have to open his mouth? They'd been comfortable and he'd enjoyed the conversation, though he probably wouldn't admit it under torture, and then he'd had to ask that question. Kami, he was an idiot!

Temari heard the banging as she saw the blond race past her. She frowned before going into the office, only to find her youngest brother banging his head against his desk. "Gaara! What the heck are you doing?" she cried.

"Don't worry about it," Gaara said before continuing.

Hearing him mutter something that sounded suspiciously like "stupid question", Temari made her mind up. "What happened?"

Gaara stopped banging his head, only to send the blond girl a glare so cold it could have frozen the sun. "I asked him what love was."

Temari almost choked with laughter. No wonder the blond had fled so quickly. "So I take it he-"

"I asked him what the difference was between loving someone and being in love with them."

So blunt. But then, that was Gaara.

The blond shook her head. "I think he misunderstood."

"How far away do you think he is?"

"Can't be far," Temari replied. "I just saw him before I came in."

Gaara snapped his fingers.

"GAAARRA!" a distant voice howled.

Trust Gaara to be able to stop the kid in his tracks, Temari thought.

The office door opened and said captured blond was dragged in, bound in sand. The door snapped shut.

"Naruto."

"Gaara, please, this is really awkward," Naruto whined.

Temari sighed. "Gaara didn't mean it the way it sounded, Naruto. This is just as awkward for him as it is for you."

Naruto just stared. "Really?"

A short nod, but it got the red head's point across. "I apologize for putting you in an awkward situation, perhaps we can put it all behind us while I clean up the office?" Gaara said as he gestured at the papers scattered across the floor.

"Yeah," Naruto said as the sand released him.

As the two boys moved to begin picking up the papers, Temari slipped from the office. They'd be just fine, she realized.

Soon, all the papers were stacked back neatly on the desk and the room was clean.

Gaara sat back in his chair and resumed his paperwork.

Naruto, on the other hand, sat on a clear edge of the desk and began chattering again.

About half an hour later, Gaara poked the blond in the back.

"Huh? Yeah, what is it?" Naruto said, stopping his anecdote.

"You never explained the difference," the red head stated quietly.

Naruto groaned.