A/N: My... it's been longer than I intended. It wasn't that this chapter was particularly difficult, but I just haven't been in the mood to write porn lately... hint hint

Anyway, there's quite a bit going on here, it's a longer chapter than usual. You'll see here the beginning of all the unfortunate events which will lead to the climax. Yay! Rising action!

Behind the Sun

Chapter 11: Recovery

In minutes, the entire hospital was in an uproar. At the news that the Jinchuuriki were on the loose, nurses were panicking to and fro and more ANBU were summoned. Tsunade had to use her scary Hokage face to stop evacuation attempts and to convince any of the staff to help with the search.

Temari and Kankurou just sighed and rolled their eyes.

Sakura eyed them apprehensively. "Aren't you guys upset at all? He's got your little brother."

Kankurou snorted at this. "Truth be told, Gaara's probably safer with him than with us."

"Or more comfortable, at least," Temari added with chagrin.

"But still," Tsunade took an interest in the exchange, "aren't you worried in the least? It was Naruto who originally gave Gaara his injuries, that much is clear."

Temari shook her head. "Yeah, but Naruto would never hurt him."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Kyuubi would," Kankurou added.

"But... you're still not worrying?" Tsunade was skeptical.

The siblings shared a glance.

"Well... you know how Naruto has always seemed stronger in a fight when he is protecting someone important to him?"

Both medic-nin nodded.

"Well, Gaara's obviously in need of protection right now, so the Naruto side of his psyche is on edge because of that."

"You're saying that Naruto can resist the Kyuubi better when he feels Gaara is in danger?"

"No, it's quite the opposite really." Kankurou shrugged.

"When it comes to anyone but Gaara, that is." Temari added. "He'll get pretty pissed if you present any threat to Gaara, and that can mean he'll lose his control to the Kyuubi even more easily than usual."

"Ah..." Tsunade remembered her recent conversation with the Kyuubi vessel, and realized that he must have been worrying about Gaara the entire time.

"But as long as you don't provoke him, he's probably at his safest at the moment, because he'll be focusing on Gaara."

"Unless he gets hungry," Kankurou added.

"Unless he gets hungry," his sister agreed. "But all you have to do is keep him well fed."

"Hmm," hummed Tsunade. "Seems like you've been through this sort of thing before."

Kankurou snorted. "You could say that again."

Temari glared at him.

"So, you wouldn't have any way to predict what Naruto's up to now, would you?"

The siblings blinked. "That's easy!"

Tsunade growled. Why hadn't they said so before? "Well?"

Temari and Kankurou shared another glance.

"Well, with Gaara in such bad shape, there's no way he's gone very far." Kankurou scratched his nose thoughtfully. "He's probably holed himself up somewhere comfortable where it will be very hard to find him."

"Is that all?"

Kankurou glanced at Temari, and shrugged.

The Hokage snapped her fingers and two ANBU appeared on either side of her.

"The Jinchuuriki have likely gone into hiding, and may remain peaceful if left unprovoked. Find them, but do not make contact, and report back to me. Pass on my orders."

Two stiff salutes and poofs of smoke later, the ANBU were gone.

Naruto whined softly, and bumped a pale cheek with his nose. He was so still and he didn't like it.

"Mmm..." Gaara shifted, eye lids fluttering, before falling motionless again.

The blonde perked up briefly, before slumping again.

"Waaah... Wake up, Gaara-chaaaaaan..."

The fox was a painful pulse in his mind, clouding his thoughts. Gaara would be hungry when he woke up; he should go on a hunt now, the voice urged. But Naruto couldn't leave Gaara, not while he was defenseless.

He licked his nose. It was dry. Was that bad? Was Gaara animal or human? He couldn't remember.

Naruto growled in frustration. He knew he should know that, but every time he tried to reach for something in his mind, the thought would slip out of his grasp, behind a fog of red. Bastard fox!

"Naruto..."

He immediately jerked up again, ecstatic to hear that quiet baritone. "Gaara!"

Teal eyes were open, and appeared alert.

"Are you feeling better now?"

Gaara didn't seem to hear his concern, and gave him a shy smile as he tugged on the front of Naruto's jacket, pulling Naruto forward onto himself.

Gaara's expression was soft, vulnerable, and expectant. Wanting. Naruto felt his heart start to pound as he recognized Gaara's "come hither" face.

The blonde grinned as Gaara kissed him. Gaara must be feeling better if he was feeling up to the sex his eyes were implying. And Naruto was definitely not one to argue.

The fox rumbled in appreciation as Naruto insinuated a knee between Gaara's thighs.

Gaara gave a soft gasp, before hesitantly spreading his legs to give Naruto more room.

Chuckling to himself, he quickly shifted to fill the space he had been given. Gaara made a deliciously surprised squeaking sound as he soon found something hard pressing against the inside of his thigh.

Naruto loved it when Gaara did the innocent virgin act.

And he was really getting into the character this time.

Gaara arched upward, making that breathless squeaking sound again, as one of Naruto's hands slipped under him to trace his vertebrae. Naruto growled, liking the way that made the lithe redhead press up against him.

Gaara was far from the innocent and naïve virgin he was pretending to be, not after all that they had done together. However, Naruto just happened to think it was incredibly sexy. Especially on his saucy little redhead.

Gaara was still looking up at him with that adorably shy expression; his eyes were full of uncertainty, and just the right amount of fear to spark Naruto's more primal instincts, without making him feel like a rapist.

He leaned down, slipping into his "big bad wolf" persona to compliment the virgin one. "Don't worry, Gaara-chan," Naruto grinned ferally, "I'll fuck you long and hard, just the way you like it."

At the words, Gaara's expression softened into something lovely and sad as the fear disappeared. "No, it's okay..."

Inwardly, Naruto frowned. Usually, when Naruto said something like he had while Gaara was doing the virgin act, he would get a very sexy breathy moan in reply that said something along the lines of, "Oh, Naruto! I don't think I could take it!" or one of Naruto's personal favorites, "Oh, Naruto! Take me now before your voice gives me an orgasm!"

He flinched as a painful thundering in his head signaled the fox's laughter. DO YOU STILL NOT KNOW WHAT SARCASM IS?

"Shut up, stupid fox!" Gaara would never make fun of him in bed, would he?

Naruto thought for a moment. Nawww... he was too damn sexy to be made fun of in bed.

Naruto's attention was brought back to the redhead beneath him as he felt himself being tugged down again. Gaara chewed his bottom lip, and coyly pulled on his jacket repeatedly.

"Now hurry up, I don't want you to stare at me all night."

Naruto had been staring, but he had barely paused a moment for his internal argument, but all thoughts of the misplaced statement went straight from his mind as his eyes latched onto the plump lip Gaara's teeth were currently abusing.

Grinning, Naruto growled possessively as he swooped down to claim that delectable bit of pink flesh between his own teeth. Gaara made that delightful gasping sound again as he felt fangs scraping over his sensitive skin. Naruto noted to himself that he would have to commend Gaara on his performance later.

Leaving Gaara's lip satisfactorily bruised, Naruto took advantage of Gaara's gasping mouth to slip inside.

Naruto moaned. No matter what Kyuubi did, he would never forget the taste of Gaara. From the earthy salt on his skin, to the sweet tang of desert fruits on his tongue with that hint of something he could never quite place, to the bitter musk of his penis, it was all indelibly written into the memory of Naruto's taste buds.

BITE! BITE! HIS BLOOD TASTES BEST!

Naruto's blood furrowed; he delved deeper into Gaara's mouth, lapping up his indescribable taste and ignoring the demon.

However, somehow, the insistent tugging on his jacket became pushing. And Naruto realized that Gaara was not moaning in pleasure, but coughing.

He reeled back immediately, and lifted his upper torso to give the redhead room to breathe.

"Gaara! Are you alright?"

The redhead glared at him through his coughing fit, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "What— hah! —did you think you were doing!"

"I— well, I was—"

"Next time I'm unconscious, don't stick your tongue down my throat! You nearly choked me to death! You're lucky the sedative has worn off, or I might not have woken up!"

"Gaara— I..." Naruto stuttered as his mind floundered. Unconscious? Sedative? When did that happen? Hadn't they just been going for a romp a moment ago?

Then the synapses reconnected, and Naruto's reality of the last five minutes flowed away like a dream. Only it wasn't a dream, he realized, it was a memory. "I... thought we were... you were..." He shut his mouth, meeting Gaara's accusing gaze. "Kyuubi made me think I was reliving our... first time, I think."

Gaara frowned up at him, some of the fire leaving his eyes. "You remember that?"

"How could I forget that! Our first time!"

Gaara smirked. "I would think you would want to forget it, considering all the mistakes you made."

"Wuh? Hey! I did a good job! You liked it!"

Pointedly glancing down between their bodies, Gaara indicted the tell-tale tent of Naruto's pants with the sweep of his eyes. "But you're no less eager, I see."

"Eh... well... what can I say?" Naruto grinned foolishly, and turned Gaara's jabs into a compliment. "You're so sexy, I can hardly resist you!"

The Kazekage rolled his eyes at the corny line.

Aww... Naruto missed the virgin act already.

"...Right, now get off me."

Naruto pouted.

"No, I will not engage in any sexual activities with you at this point in time, no matter the ridiculous faces you make at me. Move!"

Whining, he obligingly rolled over, allowing Gaara to sit up.

Every vertebra cracked as Gaara pulled himself into an upright position, bringing out a wince from both the Jinchuuriki.

Naruto watched as Gaara rolled his shoulders and experimentally flexed his fingers. "How ya feel?"

"Stiff," he scowled as he made a fist on the third try. He bent his knees and made circles with his ankles. "But there's no pain. Shukaku seems to have already repaired all of the physical damage."

"Good! That means we can have sex now?"

Naruto retreated to the edge of the bed with a whimper as Gaara turned a full-power glower on him. "Okay, okay... I'm sorry."

Gaara sighed, letting his eyes drift as his target was sufficiently reprimanded.

He coughed. "Do you have any water?"

"Oh! I thought of that! I did, dattebayo!" Naruto zipped across the room to the sink where he dropped a paper cup from the wall dispenser, which looked to be rusted to the wall, and quickly hopped back with the liquid sloshing all over the floor.

Gaara smiled vaguely at the hyper blonde as he accepted the cup. "So... why are we still in the hospital?"

Naruto blinked at him. "We're not."

Glancing around the room to make sure his eyes were functioning, Gaara frowned. "Well... this looks like a Konohan examination room to me..." Except for the thick layer of dust over everything, turning everything gray in the shadowed room, and perhaps the slightly dated equipment, it really did look like it could be a room in the hospital. Maybe it was just an old room that had fallen out of use?

"Nope! It's some sort of subterranean research center, I think. Been abandoned for years."

"Hmm..." Gaara held out his cup, and Naruto rushed to refill it. "So, the possibility of our discovery?"

Naruto shrugged. "This place is connected to the sewers. I've been coming down through the pipes and hiding out here for years. Haven't been caught yet." Naruto frowned as he tried to remember what he had been doing all those years that required such escape measures.

"Hey! Are you hungry?"

"Aa?" Gaara startled at the sudden volume. "No... not really..."

"If you're hunger, I can get you something to eat! The rats around here are HUGE!"

"Rats...?"

"I've even seen a couple snakes around here— man, I love snake! —and some of 'em dwarf the rats! And let me tell 'ya, those rats are, like, GY-NORMOUS'dattebayo!"

"Naruto, 'gynormous'is not a word."

"Eh? It's not?"

Gaara sighed.

Hinata edged carefully into the room, lest her entry cause any disturbance. It wasn't that she was trying to be especially courteous in the hospital, she just always did that.

"He's stable." Shino observed, not bothering to turn to greet his shy teammate.

Hinata hesitantly stepped up beside the stoic bug-nin.

Kiba was pale and motionless on the starched hospital bed, with wires seeming to anchor him to a variety of intimidating machines, but he would be okay.

That was a small relief in a sea of troubles, but it made Hinata feel just a little stronger.

"Naruto's free."

The diminutive Hyuuga jumped. "H-hai, I heard. He took Gaara-sama, too..."

"Kurenai-sensei is dead."

Silence descended in the hospital room for a moment.

Hinata didn't know what to say to that.

"She died two hours ago. Massive system failure. She never woke up." Shino started rattling off the facts. It was one of his coping mechanisms. Stating the obvious helped distract him from his own feelings.

"Th-there was... nothing more... the medics could do." Hinata pushed her fingers together. "A-at l-least she didn't— didn't suffer."

"True." Shino conceded. "It is hard to suffer when one's cognitive functions are not being actively processed." That was Shino's way of saying "coma."

"H-hai..."

Silence again. It made Hinata shiver.

"I—I hope... Naruto-kun and Gaara-sama are alright."

"I'm sure they can take care of themselves. I'm just more worried about the ninja that have gone looking for them."

Hinata looked down at her fidgeting fingers, then looked up to gaze at Kiba's frail features.

He had already lost a loved one to the demonic duo, and his sensei, thought he had yet to be informed of the passing of the latter. He was her teammate, and yet Hinata couldn't help but feel... angry.

How like Kiba to instigate an enemy he could not take on. How like him to look beyond reason to the point that he ceased to think like a the ninja he should. How like him to make a mess of this.

Normally, Hinata would forgive him with ease— who was she to pass judgment on him, much less anyone else? However, Hinata couldn't help but to quietly curse her teammate and his stupidity. Who was he to say such things of Naruto? Who was he to think he could push Uzumaki into the stereotype of the stupid, desperate clown just like so many others had before? But most of all, who was he to make Naruto react so? She remembered the hate in his eyes, the pure, unbridled rage.

Kiba was an animal, a dumb beast, just like his dead best friend. Nobody treated Naruto like that, but most of all, only the unworthy earned Naruto's hate.

Hinata blinked, shaking herself as she realized she had been glaring at Kiba's still form with her Byakkugan activated.

She took a deep breath.

Kiba was her teammate, she should stand by him.

But... Naruto had made him an enemy.

"So... tell me again, what can we expect?"

Temari and Kankurou groaned. If they had know this would turn into an interrogation, they would have kept their mouths shut.

"They're going to stay in hiding at least until Gaara is fully healed. Longer if they have a good supply of food and water."

"Where?"

"I don't know!"

"Some place where it's hard to find them." Temari repeated for the umpteenth time.

"Elaborate?"

The Sand sister shook her head, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "It means exactly that! They could be in the broom closet down the hall, or some old lady's attic, or up the Sandaime Hokage's nose on your Kage mountain, but where ever they are, it'll be the last place you look, and the last you expect!"

Tsunade frowned, tapping her fingers on her desk. "Are those actual possibilities?"

"We did find them hanging out in a senile old lady's attic, once." Kankurou smirked. "She thought she had squirrels."

"But Naruto rarely repeats an escape pattern, once it fails." Temari added.

Tsunade sighed. "Is there no information you can give me to help us find them?"

"Not really, even Gaara has trouble finding the brat when he doesn't want to be found." Kankurou frowned. "Buh-ut... it is possible to lure them out."

Tsunade sat up straight. "What?! And you didn't mention this before—"

"Because it won't work for at least another day," Temari threw her brother a glare as she cut the Kage off. She could get away with this, as she more often dealt with an even more volatile Kage. "Until Gaara is fully healed, there's no way Naruto will leave him, or let anyone near."

The Hokage scowled, and glared suspiciously at the Sand siblings. "Well? How can we lure them?"

Kankurou grinned, rubbing his belly as he leant back in his chair. "A giant bowl of ramen should do the trick."

Tsunade's brows rose skeptically. "Ramen?"

"Yep. The more flavors, the better."

"You're serious?" The Hokage glanced between the siblings, searching for an untruth. Well... it figured that a giant bowl of ramen to Naruto would be like a fire to a moth.

"Fresh blood also tends to attract him, that and cooking meat." Temari spoke up. "Just like any animal, he's drawn by the prospect of food. The thing is, when he's in a different mindset, his appetite is also different. The purpose of the ramen is to make sure that when he is lure, he is in a friendly mood."

Tsunade rested her chin on her fist. "Ah... now, that makes sense."

Kankurou fixed the Kage with a narrowed gaze. "That means, if he's attracted by the ramen, there's no need to try to capture him or something." he said with a meaningful glare.

"That would probably just provoke him, anyway." Temari added. "His moods will change quickly with the right stimulus."

Tsunade frowned. She didn't like that these two were trying to tell her how to take care of what she considered a Konohan affair. However, she had to remember, their little brother was wrapped up in this as well.

"We'll see about that."

Temari and Kankurou scowled.

"But... I'll see what we can do." Tsunade ceded cautiously.

The siblings barely relaxed.

"I understand that it appears a direct attack is not the best course of action. For now, we better now worry about getting a giant bowl of ramen." She snapped her fingers, and an ANBU stepped from the shadows. "Get me the man that runs that Ichiraku Ramen stand. Be nice, we need his cooperation."

A nod, and the ANBU was gone in a 'poof.'

The Sand siblings were watching her with guarded expressions as she turned her attention back to them. "Well then, what else haven't you told me?"

"You do realize, that should you provoke him again, he could go on another rampage?"

"I understand that," Tsunade frowned at the girl's tone. "We'll be doing everything in our power to prevent that."

"Humph," sniffed Temari.

Kankurou sunk deeper into his seat. He was starting to tire of Temari and Tsunade's subtle bickering. Why didn't they just admit they didn't like each other and move on to fisticuffs?

Guys made it so much simpler; why did girls have to complicate everything?

"Gaara-chaaaaan..." whined the boy, rubbing his face into Gaara's lap like a cat.

Gaara tried to ignore how close he was to nuzzling his crotch.

"Don't you like it?"

It's... lovely. Really." Gaara pushed the very dead rat further away from himself with a foot. Naruto was not exaggerating when he said they were gargantuan. "But... I'm not hungry."

Naruto looked up, and Gaara's stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. The boy grinned, and Gaara gritted his teeth. "Are you sure about that?"

"I..." sighed Gaara. "... don't want to eat that." He grimaced at the giant rodent carcass. He was quite sure it was diseased. And possibly radioactive.

"Oh..." the blonde pouted, before a mischievous glint flitted across his expression. "So... you would like something else?"

Gaara glared down at the suspicious blonde. "As long as it's not going to give me cancer, I suppose."

Naruto's lips slowly stretched into a grin, making him look even more suspicious. He was definitely up to no good. "I think I've got something else for you, then."

Gaara's eyebrows rose as the blonde slowly crept into his lap, pushing his shoulders back into the cabinet counter they were leaning against. The redhead grimaced as a metal handle dug sharply into his shoulder blade.

"So, Gaara?" Naruto leaned over him, and straddled the redhead with deliberate slowness. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm not giving you head."

Naruto looked affronted. "W-what? Gaara-chan—"

"When I say 'no,' I mean 'no.' How many times am I going to have to repeat myself?" said Gaara without inflection. Despite the apparent apathy, it was the complete lack of tone which tipped Naruto off to the fact that the redhead was very annoyed.

The blonde huffed. "Am I not going to get anything?"

Gaara rolled his eyes. Naruto had been particularly persistent, asking Gaara for favors, or pointing out innuendos every chance he got ever since he woke up. "Give it a rest. I'm just not feeling up to it."

"Oh, I'll give you a rest!" Naruto waggled his eyebrows with a lecherous grin. "The best rest you've ever had'ttebayo!"

Gaara stared at him.

The blonde's grin gradually dimmed as he failed to get a reaction from the redhead.

"You're obviously running out of ammo, because that wasn't even funny. It was just lame."

"What!" squawked the horny Jinchuuriki. "It was not lame!"

"Yes, it was."

"Was not!"

"Was, too, and you know it."

"Well— well, you're a big meanie!"

Gaara fixed the blonde above him with a skeptical look. "A big meanie? Naruto, truly, you wound me."

"What!? Where?" Gaara grunted as Naruto went into a sudden panic, and searched Gaara's body for any abnormality.

He blinked at the sudden change in demeanor. "Naruto—"

"M'sorry! M'sorry! Forgive me, Gaara-chan!"

He winced as Naruto licked his face, much like a dog would to comfort a pack member. "Naruto, I'm fine."

"Did I make it better?" asked the blonde childishly, kissing Gaara's nose for good measure.

"... Yes," Gaara conceded, unwilling to take the effort to explain that he had never been hurt in the first place.

Naruto relaxed; the crisis was averted. He nudged Gaara's nose with his own. "I don'wanna hurt you, Gaara-chan."

"I know, Naruto," sighed Gaara.

His blue eyes were morose as he nudged him again. "But Naruto did... Naruto's... I'm sorry."

"I know, Naruto," Gaara had already forgiven him, had never held a grudge in the first place. Even so, Gaara felt the sudden need to wipe the regret from Naruto's eyes. It wouldn't do to have his loved one in pain, if he could help it.

"How about this," Gaara brought his hands up to squeeze the twin globules of Naruto's ass. "I am feeling a little better, so why don't you go sit over there," Gaara indicated the cot he had woken up on with a jerk of his head. "And I make you feel better?"

Naruto had perked up as soon as he felt the redhead's hands on him. However, his perverted grin lasted barely a moment before faltering. "But... I thought you weren't feeling well enough?"

Gaara scoffed. Now the blonde decided to voice his concern? The Kazekage would have none of it.

Before Naruto could catch on, Gaara slid his hands around his orange-clad hips until he found his pockets, which he plunged into— and lifted once he got his grip.

Naruto squeaked, completely not expecting the sneak attack.

Smirking, the redhead looked up at the blonde with raised eyebrows. "Huh, I guess I am hungry."

Gaara knew he had forgotten all previous concerns as he teasingly toyed with him through the cloth. Naruto's eyes went from sympathetic to smoldering in seconds.

The grin was back. "Gaara—"

The redhead slipped his hands out of the orange pockets as quickly as he had slipped them in, and tilted his head toward the cot meaningfully.

Naruto didn't have to be told twice.

Hiding a wince as Gaara pushed himself into a crouching position, he stood and sauntered over to the dusty cot behind the excited blonde. He would definitely have to take it easy. Something told him the scenario wouldn't go over too well if he ran out of energy or his muscles gave out half way through.

As per command, Naruto sat, and waited expectantly for Gaara's next move. Normally, he would have already grabbed the redhead in his impatience, and thrown him down; but the small measure of caution with which he held back attested to his still-present concern for Gaara's health.

Gaara paused, wondering which position would hurt less, before he decide Naruto's current one would be best for his back. He dropped to all fours, and crawled the rest of the way with a tempting expression.

Naruto swallowed, watching him, and clenched and unclenched his fists, which were resting on his thighs.

Reaching him, Gaara grabbed the insides of Naruto's knees with each hand, and roughly pulled them apart with a sadistic grin.

Grinning himself, Naruto leaned back on his hands, giving Gaara better access to his fly.

Careful not to break their locked gazes, Gaara leaned forward and put his talented mouth to work on Naruto's pants. Much practice had left Gaara with the questionable ability to remove any article of clothing from someone else's person with the use of only his teeth, lips, and tongue. While not very useful, even for a ninja, Naruto loved it.

The blonde growled, watching as Gaara's efforts made short work of the clasp, and Naruto's zipper was pulled open with a set of small, sharp teeth. Those sea foam eyes staring up at him from between his thighs with a heated look made him melt.

After Gaara had pulled his pants open as far as they would go, Naruto lifted his hips to allow the redhead to remove them. However, he instead got the pleasant surprise of having Gaara's face rubbed against his hard-on through the thin material of his boxers.

Gaara purred as he nuzzled Naruto's privates, loving the familiar musk that filled his nostrils. Naruto chuckled, watching him, and gently rolled his hips upward.

The redhead gave him a lick, but frowned as his tongue scratched over dry cotton. Ah yes, that would have to be remedied.

Naruto squeaked as his pants and boxers were ripped from him in one fluid motion. Gaara discarded them, throwing them across the room so Naruto would have to get up to get them later. But the blonde didn't mind.

Naruto couldn't help but to giggle and squirm a little as Gaara started again by licking and nipping his way up his inner thigh. He was ticklish there!

"Stay still," the redhead muttered against his skin.

Naruto twitched. "I'm trying!" he laughed.

Growling as another jerking motion dislodged him from golden-brown flesh again, Gaara bit down in annoyance.

Naruto whined. It didn't hurt, but he pretended it did anyway. "I'm sorry, Gaara-sama! I'll be good!"

"Hmph," the redhead let go, with the unspoken command of, "You better."

Pushing apart the thighs threatening to box his ears if Naruto jumped again, Gaara skipped the last six inches of skin to go straight for the junction where his leg met his body.

Naruto sighed softly as Gaara nibbled the tendon there, the less fleeting sensation, and the new proximity of Gaara's hot mouth to his desire reminded him anew of the erotic situation.

He willed himself not to make a sound as Gaara turned his face to bury his nose in his dark gold curls. He willed himself not to tremble as the silken moonshine of his cheek brushed his need.

Half of Gaara's face was hidden from him, but Naruto could discern the smirk in Gaara's eyes as he turned and placed an almost chaste kiss on the engorged shaft of his penis.

Naruto grunted, "Tease."

Gaara gave him a smug glance, before going on to follow the rest of his length with a line of unsatisfying pecks. Naruto struggled to not start squirming again, as the brief, butterfly touches of those soft lips, so close to what he wanted, slowly drove him insane.

Finally, Gaara reached the head, and Naruto knew, at this point, that even the smallest stimulus there would make him buck. But no, instead the tantalizing redhead simply exhaled, releasing a hot, moist puff of air that only left him wanting.

Naruto growled.

Gaara smirked; his mouth open in a taunting gape, so close Naruto could feel the heat of his lips. An impatient grumble in the back of his mind urged him to just take what he wanted, to thrust upward and hold the Jinchuuriki by the hair as he callously fucked his face.

But for once, Naruto knew that was wrong.

Plus, Gaara might bite him.

"Gaara—" he was coming to the end of his strength in his battle against his most animal instincts, as Gaara started from the bottom again to give him a long, languid lick. "Stop— teasing!"

The sultry temptation between his legs raised a shadowed brow as Naruto growled. "That's not how polite boys ask—"

"PLEASE!"

Gaara rolled his eyes at the blonde's impatience. However, he had said the magic word.

Naruto tensed, willing himself still lest he cause the redhead between his legs any discomfort. His hands fisted in the effort, bunching up the dusty old sheets under his palms. Sometimes he wondered if Gaara even knew the half of how amazing his mouth was.

Then again, as he gazed down into smug, bobbing teal, he probably did.

Naruto gave a strangled cry as Gaara's lips left his penis, but only to mercilessly attack the sensitive slit atop it with teeth and tongue.

Just before Naruto thought he would lose control, Gaara engulfed him again.

He shuddered as, instead of the swirl of that delectable tongue, Gaara's teeth grazed him on the way back up. Attempted by anyone less experienced, that probably would have hurt, but it only served to make his loins jerk tighter with the sharp pleasure it brought.

Naruto nearly jumped as two fingers found their way to the soft spot behind his testicles, while the palm and thumb of that sneaky hand gently cupped and kneaded him. Gaara knew this, coupled with the rippling of pleasure coming through his manhood from Gaara's skilled mouth, could intensify the sensations Naruto felt. It also gave him a new incentive to squirm, as the gentle pressure of the pads of Gaara's fingers in such a vulnerable spot just made him want more friction.

He whimpered, finally loosing control of his hands and grabbing Gaara's hair, as the redhead took in as much of him as he could, and hummed hard. He thrust once, before the tightening of Gaara's hand on his balls warned him to stop.

"G-gaara..."

Naruto cursed as the Kazekage answered with a hum, "Mm-hmmmm?"

"I..." he panted, trying to remember what he intended to say, as Gaara continued with his shallow bobbing— never releasing him from the tight hold of his throat— and his mind-breaking humming.

"I..." he trembled, his fist pulling Gaara's hair tight. The grip on his balls loosened, and Naruto thrust again, unable to stop himself.

Gaara had anticipated the motion, and swallowed to accommodate it.

"You're so..." he gasped. Naruto pulled, forcing Gaara down as he thrust upward again.

Gaara placed his hands on the side of the bed to steady himself, giving Naruto free reign to continue his erratic, shallow thrusts. He complimented each movement, sucking as Naruto retreated, clenching his tonsils when he advanced, and humming when he was fully buried.

He loved when Naruto was like this. When he finally lost control he was at his most primal— not counting the Kyuubi and its influences— and Gaara liked to think that he could drive Naruto to that extreme, so that every nerve in the blonde's body screamed for Sabaku no Gaara.

It was a poor substitute for actual intercourse. Even though Gaara was immensely aroused by the taste and feel of Naruto's cock on his tongue, it was different in more than just the physical when it was Naruto that was between his legs, and the movement of Naruto inside him that was what controlled his pleasure. However, considering he was already having trouble keeping the right muscle tension to even kneel, he doubted he'd last through even the most docile quickie. It wouldn't be fun for either of them, if he fainted in the middle of a romp.

Gaara caught him, holding him down as he whimpered, and hummed hard once more.

Naruto arched with a blind cry, and Gaara pulled back so that his cum would land on his tongue.

He moaned, as Naruto shuddered, and crashed down onto the bed several moments later. Gaara milked him for every last drop of his seed, even massaging his tensed balls to encourage a longer ejaculation.

He couldn't understand why Naruto hated the taste, because Gaara preferred to savor the bitter milk. Then again, that was how they generally were. Naruto liked the sweet things, while he liked the bitter.

With nothing left to give him, Naruto's softening length was allowed to fall from Gaara's lips, and, despite the growing pain in his lower back and ankles, Gaara climbed up over his dazed blonde.

He pushed up Naruto's shirt and lay across him, so that they were chest to chest. Gaara wished he had the energy to pull his shirt off, so he could feel Naruto's skin against his own. However, that would also probably invite some things he really wasn't up to handling.

He settled for laying his head on Naruto's rapidly rising and falling breast, giving his aching neck a break, and letting his fingers wander as he watched Naruto's flushed face.

Warm cerulean, foggy with the after glow, gradually focused on him. The blonde smirked as he noticed Gaara was still licking his lips. "Did that satisfy your appetite?"

Gaara pursed his lips, pretending to contemplate the matter, as one of his hands followed the masculine curve of Naruto's shoulder under his shirt, from bicep to neck. "Well... it was just a snack, really."

"Not enough for ya, huh?" Naruto grinned as he not-so-discretely felt Gaara's ass as his hand journeyed to the small of said redhead's back.

The Kazekage groaned quietly, his eyes nearly rolling in his head, as a calloused hand slipped under his shirt and found on of the many knots in his back. That was exactly what he needed.

Naruto watched Gaara's face with greedy eyes, as the redhead practically melted into him. He briefly tussled with the urge to turn them both over, and show the redhead all the other ways he could warrant such a reaction from the Sand-nin.

But he didn't. Gaara was obviously exhausted, and had already expressed his displeasure at such pushiness. Naruto would honor his wishes even if he disagreed.

He frowned, remembering his behavior of only minutes before.

That had been unacceptable, to pester Gaara for sex when he had quite obviously denied him, especially with the Kazekage in such a state.

However, he hadn't been thinking like that before. With his mind so much clearer now, Naruto realized just how clouded his judgment and limited his thoughts had been.

"Ah..." Gaara purred, as Naruto's had worked its way farther, driving out the snarls and the stiffness. His lids had long fallen shut, and his entire body was lax and vulnerable in Naruto's arms.

Filled with resolve, Naruto hooked two fingers under his chin, and turned him to look him straight in the eye. Dreamy teal blinked open questioningly.

"I love you, Gaara," it was perhaps sterner than he meant to be, almost a reprimand, a product of his serious mood.

Gaara smiled, that timid flash of pearly whites that always took Naruto's breath away. He kissed the pad of Naruto's thumb, the closest skin available to him, and replied with a playful reprimand of his own. "I know that, now put that hand to work!"

There was a pain in his chest as Gaara settled down again, nearly burrowing into him with the way he wiggled.

"I love you," he repeated, willing the sorrow from his voice, and wrapped the fingers of his idle hand around Gaara's neck to work he muscles there. "I love you so much."

Because tomorrow he might forget to say it. Because tomorrow he might not know to say it.

"I know," the redhead replied softly. "You don't need to tell me."

Naruto could have cried.

A/N: Will Hinata side with the cannibals? Will Naruto and Gaara do the naughty next chapter? Will Tsunade ever stop asking questions?

How many flavors of ramen can Ichiraku Teuchi make?!

We will only find out-- dun Dun DUN-- next chapter!

Heh, this story is getting more dramatic and less bloody, I think. However, I can't wait until I get to write more violence in the next part! It'll be so much fun! (Yes, I'm a freak.)

Poor Naruto; poor, poor Gaara. One doesn't even know he's suffering half the time, and the other has to watch. Does this scenario remind anyone of Alzheimers? Or something along those lines? It certainly does for me, so I guess I've got a symbolism thing going on, even though I never really intended it.

Review! I wanna beat that 100 mark!