Freedom Knight

by TheMadKatter13

SUMMARY~After breaking off a long-term relationship, Sakura and Ino convince Naruto that all he needs is a bar hop to find a piece of fresh meat. AU. Gaara/Naruto.

DISCLAIMER~The rights to Naruto reside with Kishimoto Masashi and I receive no financial gain from the writing of this story.

AN~I spent Thanksgiving watching Glee (I like singing and dancing; sue me) since all of our family was on the other side of the state (Washington, if you're curious), and during S02E02 Britney/Brittany, I was so entranced by Brittany's dancing that I ended up watching Beyonce's Single Ladies music video and my brain wandered into a G/N fantasy. I should be writing NaNo right now but... THE MIND WANTS WHAT THE MIND WANTS!

Freedom Knight

"Naruto! Damn it, are you ready yet?!"

"Just hold on a fuckin' minute!" The blonde heaved a sigh and took another look at his reflection. He turned right, and then left, then picked up a portable mirror and turned all the way around, reviewing his backside in the smaller reflection. A sharp click-like stomping preceded his friend's arrival before she burst into the bathroom, disrupting his view in the full-length mirror.

"What the hell is taking you so lo-" she shouted as the door slammed into the wall and subsequently froze as she took in his outfit. She had chosen it but she had underestimated the effect it would have. "Well, hot damn!"

Naruto finally turned his eyes from the mirror to the woman in the door.

"I really don't know about this Sakura." She was still staring at his ass.

"I'm sorry. What?" She shook her head as if she was coming out of a stupor. "Oh. Pfffft. INO!" He didn't even jump. They all had a good pair of lungs on 'em and none of them were afraid to use them. There was another rush of clicking stomping up the stairs and then another blonde rushed in the door.

"What the hell do you wa-he-LLO foxy!" She let out a wolf-whistle as she also took the time to drag her eyes up and down his form. "And you're gay... why?" He blushed and turned back to face the full-length mirror.

"Because vaginas don't turn me on. Your lady parts gross me out," he told them, lips twitching as he tried to hide his smirk as they both gasped dramatically at him. "But seriously, leather pants?" The pants in question were obscenely tight, completely form-fitting and he shifted awkwardly in place, hooking his thumbs in the hem to jump up and hike the pants further up. The motion hugged his privates tightly and created a bulge in the front of his pants that he wasn't used to seeing when he was wearing more than boxers. He shifted again.

"Naruto, I don't think I've ever seen you look sexier," Ino assured.

"Yeah, but I've never worn anything tighter than jeans! This is super uncomfortable! And this shirt you've got me in? I mean, is it even a shirt? Is it one of your shirts? Damn it, this thing is small!" He plucked at the skin-tight wife-beater, pulling it away from his skin before letting it fall back again. "And it's black too! I've never been so monochromatic in my life!"

The two girls exchanged looks and then burst into laughter before slowly stalking forward. Ino straightened his shirt while Sakura wetted her hands in the sink before ruffling his hair, making it even messier than normal.

"There. The freshly-fucked look suits you wonderfully. Especially in that outfit," the pink-haired woman said with a sly grin and a wink.

"Besides, with your complexion, your hair colour, that blue of your eyes? The black just makes them stick out all the more! It's hot!" Ino joined in, smoothing his hands away from his clothing. She grabbed the thin leather jacket from the countertop and handed it to him. "Stop fussing and let's go."

Together, the two women hustled the blonde man out of the bathroom and down the stairs, half using him as support as they tottered down the stairs in their high heels. Just like him, they were both dressed to kill in little black dresses, ankle-breaking heels, and dramatic make-up. After a brief argument with the women at the front door about whether or not he could wear his favourite orange sneakers (an argument which he smugly won) and a short but furious round of Jan Ken Po between the ladies to determine the designated driver for the night, they were piling into a fuming Sakura's car with a smug Ino in the passenger's seat.

The club they drove to was already spilling out bass-heavy dance music and inebriated patrons into the fresh night air. A pair of uniformed valets helped both women out of the car and Naruto jumped out of the back before anyone could open his door. He still wasn't comfortable with someone doing something for him after the last several years of doing everything for someone else. As Sakura joined him and Ino, he wrapped an arm around each of their waists, his grin mischievous as he walked them to the door, completely ignoring the line wrapping around the side of the building. The bouncer at the door gave him the stink-eye as they approached, even as he eyed the women on either side of him contemplatively. Naruto pulled a folded 5000 Yen note from his pocket, holding it between his fingers.

"How you doin' tonight, man?" he asked with a wink, reaching out the hand with the note in it. Understanding came into the bouncer's eyes and Naruto turned his hand slightly for the man to see the colour and the number sticking out from between his fingers. The bouncer's eyes flickered down before his hand moved to take Naruto's and they shook like old friends, the man's smile warming greatly as the bill changed hands.

"Not bad. Good to see you back," he finally answered, removing holding the velvet rope out of the way, ignoring loud complaints from long-standing line members as the trio sauntered in the doorway. There was a large room bursting with coats of all shapes and sizes and colours to the side, the words COAT CHECK displayed above a large counter window in neon lights. He helped both of them out of their coats and tugged the zipper on his own jacket a little higher while they slipped their tickets in their purses before they wrapped around him again ignoring the wide-eyed man at the counter. You'd think he'd never seen a hot chick before with that look he was giving them. Naruto couldn't help it and he began to chuckle as they walked away, shaking his head at the inquires it produced.

The music got even louder as they approached a set of stairs leading down and their grip on him tightened as he led them down and into the fray. The loud techno beats pulsed through their bodies as they mingled their way through the crowd to the bar on the opposite wall. It had been so long since he'd done this but he remembered how it worked. He let go of Ino to slam his hand down on the bar in between some steroid-heavy jock and an under-dressed woman. Classics of the club scene. He stuck his head between them over his hand, catching the eye of the bartender and jerking his head. The lavender-eyed man very noticeably checked him out as he hurried over, his long dark hair fluttering after him. Naruto blushed at the attention, his previous confidence wavering in the face of reality.

"What can I get for you, sexy?" the man murmured, voice low and suggestive. He braced himself with one hand against the bar, his fingertips just barely touching Naruto's. The blonde blushed and opened his mouth to answer when both women piped up.

"Get us Appletinis Naruto!" they cried simultaneously, forcing their way next to the bar in front of him. A slow smile spread across his face.

"Aren't you the designated driver tonight, Sakura?" he teased. She frowned and smacked his shoulder.

"Are you planning on leaving soon?" He laughed and shook his head, turning back to the still-waiting bartender

"We'll grab two Appletinis and a shot of... well, surprise me. Just make it strong and straight." The man nodded and gave him the once-over once more before walking back to the middle bar and grabbing down glasses. Naruto pulled another note from his pocket, turning slightly to eye the pulsating dance floor. His heart began to beat faster at the thought that he would be there soon, trying to find someone to dance with.

A tickling feeling at the back of his head heralded the bartender's return. As the man put the drinks down on napkins and slid them across the bar top, he caught Naruto's eye and winked. Blushing as his friends grabbbed their drinks, he slid the note across the counter with a confident smile.

"Keep the change," he said as he picked up the drink and the napkin under it. Something on the napkin caught his attention and he pulled it off the bottom of the glass, squinting slightly in the dim lighting.

Hyuuga Neji

555-0155

"Sure thing, sexy," he heard as the man walked away. Gulping, Naruto downed his drink, slamming the emptt shot glass back on the bar and then pulled both women from the bar, ignoring the high-pitched protests.

"What the hell?!"

"Naruto!"

He shoved the napkin at them, wringing his hands anxiously. Sakura took it and squinted at the thick black scrawl. Ino hovered just over her shoulder doing the same thing. They both blinked at the small white square before lecherous smiles split their faces.

"Way to go Naruto! Next drink's on you, Ino-pig." At the confused look on Naruto's face, Sakura elaborated. "I bet her back at the house that you would get a number in the first five minutes." He gave them both an incredulous look before laughing softly and shaking his head as he took the napkin back.

"That's great and all but I don't remember how to do this!" he cried, waving the name and number at them. They exchanged another look and turned back to him, faces now sober. Ino took the napkin and folded it up, slipping it into his back pocket while Sakura took his face in both her hands.

"You listen to me, Uzumaki," she told him, holding his eyes with hers. "You have been single for over a month. You broke up with him. That means that it is time for you to get a new sexy piece of eye candy on that arm. So! We are going to get on that dance floor, and you are going to eye-flirt with every man on that floor until you find someone to take you home tonight. You understand?" He broke into a small laugh and nodded his head, leaning forward to kiss her forehead endearingly.

"Yes mother," he replied with a cheeky grin. She smacked upside his head before both her and Ino downed the remainder of their drinks, scurrying back to the bar to set down the empty glasses, and then they were back on either side of him, hustling him to the dance floor. They both set into the groove pretty easy but it had been a long time since he'd danced around other people, much less at a club, so he just stood there awkwardly for a minute before Ino's hands snaked over his shoulders, massaging the tense muscles while Sakura's hands appeared on his hips. They began swaying in in front and in back of him, slowly forcing his hips into movement until he got the rhythm. Some of the guys around them stopped to stare, jealous of his two dance partners. He ignored them, closing his eyes, letting the beat flow through him and began moving his body on his own. Lips pressed against his ear.

"Good boy. Now, get out on that dance floor and find someone." The hands on his shoulders and hips disappeared and he opened his eyes to find his dance partners merging together and slowly dancing their way into the crowd. He smiled after them for a moment before he returned to his own body, ignoring his surroundings to get back in the groove. He dug deep down inside himself for that uncontrollable courage he seemed to posses and let it shine through as he opened his eyes. Suddenly, he felt more confident in his body than he had in years. He did remember how to do this.

His eyes roamed around the room as he danced, the hearty bass pumping through his bones and controlling his every movement. He loved this. He had forgotten how much he loved this but he loved this. The way the entire room pulsed around him, the way it felt like he was a part of something huge. It was a hive mentality but sometimes you just needed to let loose and dance away your troubles. Every few songs, he returned to the bar for another shot, this time winking back at Neji saucily, letting his fingers brush the bartender's with each trade of drink for money. When he left the bar, he would catch a man's eyes here, another man's there, and if, after a once-over, they didn't suit his taste, he would smile and slide his eyes away, discreetly dancing in another direction. No reason to put anyone's pride on the line on a night meant for fun.

Only an hour and a half later, during which Sakura and Ino danced across his path several times, he had managed to catch the eye of countless other patrons and though his pockets were now full of phone numbers from attractive, faceless strangers, none had caught his eye and it was leaving him very discouraged. He was having the time of his life but it wasn't as fun as if he was sharing it with someone else, and to top it off, all the alcohol and the dancing was making him hungry. As he looked around for something that could be converted into eats, a familiar inky-blue/black seemed to twinkle at him from under a highlight light but he blinked and it was gone. He breathed a sigh of relief that it was his mind conjuring things. He was the last person he wanted to see tonight of all nights. He firmly turned his back on that section of the room and it was in that turn that his eyes fell on someone he knew he had not seen yet.

The man was standing on the complete opposite side of the room from him, near a staircase that must have led to the manager's and/or owner's office. His hair shone a bright, candy-apple red even in, or perhaps in spite of, the dark lighting, and his eyes were like mint ice cream, though he had never seen ice cream seem so predatory. Naruto blamed his stomach on all the weird ways his mind was describing the man to him. He was the hottest thing Naruto had ever seen on two legs and he knew that that was the man he wanted to take him home tonight.

The song shifted, becoming slower but more hypnotic, more sensual and Naruto let his hips follow the beat. The red-head's eyes drifted towards him and Naruto never let his eyes stray from the man's face and soon enough, he was locked in a silent battle of wills with the sexy stranger. Even as he danced, and even as the man refused to look away, the man gave no encouragement or discouragement. He simply stood where he was, arms crossed across his chest, face blank of emotion. It was the lack of encouragement that kept Naruto from moving towards his desire and it was the lack of disencouragement that kept his eyes locked with the unnaturally pale green ones.

Someone jostled him and he stumbled, shaking his vision and breaking his trance. His head shot back up but the sex-on-a-stick was already gone. He spat out a curse as his face fell into a frown. Disheartened, but really needing to pee, he nearly ran to the bathrooms. They were almost uncomfortably crowded but he was able to (thankfully) get in and out in no time with no hassle. As he was standing in the crowded hallway, trying to shuffle back out to the dance floor, hands grabbed his hips and pressed him against the wall. He has hoped it was the redhead but his hopes were quickly swept aside as a mouth pressed against his ear.

"Hey sexy," the bartender's voice breathed against the shell of his ear. "You haven't been back to the bar in a while. I was beginning to think you'd found someone else." The man's flirting had been cute and flattering at first but when he failed to realize that Naruto had yet to reciprocate past a wink and finger-touching, his advances began to shift to the more annoying end of the spectrum. To top it off, he was pressing Naruto into the wall, his erection pressing into Naruto's ass and the blonde was not enjoying himself. This really wasn't how he'd seen the night going and even being in this position now, he realized he was jumping too fast. His last relationship had been three years long and he'd only gotten out a month ago. He was never much of a rebound guy and yet, with Neji pressing into him, that's exactly what it felt like he was doing. Revenge sex. He sighed and shook his head. If someone could seduce him into just plain sex, he was down with that, but this... this just felt wrong. "You're quiet all of a sudden."

"I'm sorry, Neji. This isn't going to work," he told the stone wall in front of him, pushing back against the body behind him. But the man didn't get the hint, instead believing the opposite of what Naruto wanted. The hands on his hips moved inward along his pelvic bone and he gritted his teeth before shoving hard off the wall and turning to face the man.

"What the hell is your problem?" the bartender exclaimed, stepping close. Naruto's eyes watered at the stench of alcohol on his breath.

"Fuck! How much have you had to drink?" the blonde muttered, wrinkling his nose. The other frowned as he stepped back into Naruto's space, forcing him back against the wall. The blonde turned his face away from the oncoming lips and tried ducked down fast as he could. The bartender was so drunk he stumbled face first into the wall. The blonde man turned his head to the side, covering mouth in an attempt not to laugh. He didn't succeed well. A now quite-angry Neji whirled back towards the tan man standing to the side and shoved him into the wall.

"Alright. I've had enough," Naruto growled, almost to the point of needing to plant his fist in the pretty boy's face. Before he could move, a slim, pale hand was sneaking over Neji's shoulder and Naruto stared at it with wide eyes. He couldn't see who the hand belonged to and in the heat of the moment coupled with the unreal paleness, he felt, just for a moment, the he had somehow become a victim of Ju-On.

The fingers curled into a tight grip on the long-haired man's shoulder, pulling him back and away from Naruto who blinked at the sudden turn of events. Neji, frown growing deeper the further he was from those kissable lips. He opened his mouth and turned to give the guy who'd dragged him from his prize a piece of his mind only to be met with the sight of two angry Amazonian women standing feet apart, one with her arms crossed and the other with her hands on her hips. Both of them were tapping a foot in a short, angry staccato against the ground.

"You moving on or what pal?" Ino asked, eyes narrowed. Without waiting for an answer, Naruto pushed past the man and snaked each woman around the waist, pulling them back out to the relative safety of the dance floor.

"Thanks guys. I owe you both," he mumbled as they shuffled back out to the middle of the floor. Sakura used his arm to twirl out and then back in.

"Time used to be you would punch a guy for something like that," the pink-haired woman commented, tucked into his side. Ino did the same, out, spin, in, tuck.

"Yeah, what gives?"

"I don't know. I just..." He took a deep breath and let out a gusty sigh. "I don't think this was a good idea. I'm just not... I'm just not ready yet, I think..."

"Uzumaki Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, taking him by surprise as she stepped in front of him, taking his face in her hands. "This is not like you. You are strong, you are ridiculously confident, and-" she paused, her eyes looking at something over his shoulders before they sparked with something mischievous; when he turned to look, she increased the pressure on his cheeks to keep him still "-and you will dance with the next guy that asks you to. If you don't go home with him, we'll go home after you've dropped him. Deal?" He bit his lip as if pondering her offer even they both knew his answer. She slapped his cheek lightly and he let out a breath and a laugh.

"Ok, ok. Deal." She nodded, satisfied, as she reached around him to grab Ino's wrist.

"Then we will see you around," she grinned, the two of them backing away into the crowd. Left alone, he suddenly felt awkward when a pair of hands landed lightly on his hips and lips brushed his ear.

"Teach me to dance like you do." The voice was sinfully low and a stirred desire low in his belly. He looked over his shoulder and a shiver went down his spine as his eyes met with mint-green ones topped with candy apple red. The blush that burst onto his cheeks could have matched his new dance partner's hair. He took a deep breath, pulling the stench of liquid courage into his lungs before placing his hands on the ones on his hips.

"Sure thing," he murmured, beginning to sway. He grabbed the hands, wrapping them around his stomach, pulling the man behind him in close. The lean body pressing against his back was hard and muscled even through the layers of their clothes and made him want to purr in pleasure. But he was at a complete loss as to where to go from here. Did they just dance? Did they talk? What the hell did he do the last time he was in this situation? He couldn't remember!

"Gaara," the voice at his ear murmured, breaking his thoughts. He swallowed hard.

"Naruto," he managed to croak.

"Nice to meet you." That sexy voice sounded amused and Naruto found himself speaking before his brain could give the actual go-ahead for his lips to move.

"Your voice sounds like sex." Immediately after the words leaving his mouth, he froze and his face felt like it had been lit on fire. The hands around his waist loosened and turned him around and he was faced with a man who had been gorgeous from across the club but was even more so in front of him now. There was even a sexy (bad boy) kanji tattoo on his left temple. He dropped his gaze to the man's chest, not that that was really the better option. His black button-down was unbuttoned at the top, exposing several inches of a hard, pale chest. Wide blue eyes shot to the floor at his side.

"Just my voice?" Argh! Why did he have to sound so amused about the whole situation? It wasn't like Naruto wasn't trying!

"Well, the whole thing but you didn't really need my word to confirm it, did you? I bet you hear it all the time." Strong, slim fingers tilted his chin up and he met cool, green eyes.

"No. I do not. Come. I will buy you a drink." The fingers dropped from his chin to his own fingers, interlacing before tugging him through the crowd to the bar. The redhead didn't look back at him as he was dragged along but he still couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. This man sure knew how to take control, which was really quite comforting right now with his heart pounding in his chest like it was. Right before they reached the bar, however, he remembered the slightly creepy bartender and he stopped dead, pulling his dance partner to a stop but he wasn't looking at that. He was standing on his tiptoes, eyeing the people behind the bartender, looking for long dark hair.

"Are you looking for anyone in particular?" He dropped back to flat-foot and blue eyes fell back to green and just like that, his blush had returned. He almost felt like hitting himself in the face and telling himself to grow a pair.

"Um, no one really. There was just this... this bartender earlier who just, couldn't take a hint. Neji, I think he said his name was. I just, was really hoping to not run into him again." His dance partner, Gaara, eyed him carefully.

"Neji?" Green eyes eyed him speculatively but he waved him off.

"Yeah, but it's fine. He's gone. Probably passed out in the hallway." He burst into laughter at the thought. "God, he was just... plastered!" He chuckled and then smiled brightly at a distant-looking Gaara. "Anyway, how about that drink?" The fingers around his tightened and pulled him to the bar where the redhead's pale hand rapped sharply on the bar. The nearest bartender, a tall brunette in a black beanie, looked over at them and blinked, his head jerking back. Naruto thought he looked really surprised but he couldn't quite figure out why. He opened his mouth to order but two slim fingers lifted from the bar and the bartender nodded, grabbing down two shot glasses and filling them with clear liquid, placing them on the bar in front of them. Gaara grabbed them off the bar, handing one to him. The blonde man cocked his head curiously as no money was placed on the counter and the bartender walked away without asking for any.

"Smooth," he laughed, clinking the edge of his glass against the other's. "You've got a tab going already?"

"You could say that." Naruto lifted his drink to his lips, tilting it and closing his eyes as the slow burn spread down his throat. "I own the bar." He choked on his freshly-downed drink, face turning red as he sputtered and coughed.

"I'm sorry. I could have sworn you just said you own the bar." He leaned forward, his chest pressing against the others as he put his empty shot glass on the bar. Hair tickled his cheek as lips traced his ear, leaving a small bite on the top curve. His eyes fluttered and he let out a small breathless moan.

"I did." That sinful voice just HAD to speak right in his ear. It was so sexy it should be illegal. He blinked at his ridiculous thoughts. This was why he didn't drink a lot. He came up with more crazy shit than usual. He laughed, stepping back and rubbing the back of his head in his traditional nervous gesture.

"Then that's a really smooth pick-up line you used. You must be a fantastic dancer, even if you only ever watch from some... I don't know, glass-floor ceiling office or something." A thin red eyebrow lifted at his statement and green eyes flicked from his eyes to the corner they had come from. He turned in place and saw a room that seemed to stalactite from the ceiling from which the stairs he'd originally seen the redhead on descended along the wall. "Oh. Would you look at that," he laughed. The man leaning against the bar walked forward, grabbing his hips again and pulling him against his pelvis, rolling his hips against Naruto's who bit his lip.

"So. Are you going to teach me to dance?" Naruto tossed his head back and laughed, full and hearty. Firm hands reached between their bodies to unzip the leather jacket the blonde still wore and then slowly pushed it from his shoulders, revealing the tan, muscled skin, inch by inch, green eyes following the movement their owners hands were making with intense interest. When the dark material was stripped from his skin, the redhead tossed his coat at the same brown-haired man behind the counter who nodded and stuffed it in, presumably, a cubby under the bar.

"How could I say no to a face like that? C'mon, sexy-voice. Let's dance." He nearly skipped back to the dance floor, turning to face the redhead and, in an emboldened move, wrapped his arms around the man's waist and yanked that lean body to his own. Green eyes darkened with lust and narrowed as he rolled his hips into the other man's.

As song after song played, Naruto and Gaara's dancing got more and more provocative until the only reason they weren't fucking, was the fact that they were in a public place, a fact difficult to forget in the tight bump-and-grind club crowd, and because Naruto was managing to (somewhat) keep a conversation going, though he was quick to learn Gaara wasn't much of a talker. Sakura and Ino had pranced by a few times, a different man on their arm each time, and every time they stopped by, they brought Naruto another drink until his body was nice and loose, a pleasant buzzing thrumming through his veins. He was also near-panting with exertion as he gyrated along his still-sober dance partner.

"So, Gaara. About that tattoo," he started, turning to face the pale man, draping his arms around black-clad shoulders. "I'm really curious where and why you-" All of a sudden, he stopped short, freezing in place, eyes widening as he spotted all-too familiar blue-black hair. And this time it didn't disappear. No. That would have been too easy. This time it turned, black eyes meeting with his and widening in a pale face. "Fuck," he whispered, and promptly dropped into a crouch. It couldn't be too late though. He definitely hadn't seen recognition in those cold eyes. He hadn't seen him get up from his seat. And he definitely did not see him heading right towards him. Gaara stared down at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Did you drop something?" Gaara asked. Well, to Naruto, it was more like he just mouthed it but after the last hour, he was fast becoming used to it.

"Uh, no. I just saw my e-" he started, but was almost immediately interrupted by the same person he was trying to avoid.

"Naruto?" And he was found.

"Damn! Lost another piercingSasuke! Fancy seeing you here," he said quickly, rising from the ground, unable to hide the sheepish grin on his face as he scratched the back of his head. He had never felt more uncomfortable in his life than this moment with Gaara standing off to the side and Sasuke eyeing him like he was on display. He shifted awkwardly in place, waiting for his ex to say something. When he was as forthcoming as usual, he spoke up. "What brings you here?"

"Itachi." He rolled his eyes at the characteristically-short answer and stood back on his tiptoes for a minute to look over the throbbing crowd to spot the older Uchiha sitting at the same table he had seen a minute ago, looking over in their direction. Naruto dropped back to flat-feet again, meeting black eyes once more.

"I see that. I mean, what are you doing right here? Standing in front of me?" He crossed his arms in front of his chest, surreptitiously sneaking a glance at the silent redhead, hoping he hadn't been scared off. He was still standing there, arms relaxed at his side and Naruto breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Well, I missed you. When are we going to see each other again?" Naruto dropped his arms in disbelief, his mouth falling open. He was definitely losing Gaara now.

"Never!" he hissed, taking a step forward, eyes narrowed in anger. "You couldn't commit! It's not like I was asking for a marriage proposal or even a promise ring! I just wanted to move in! Three fucking years, Sasuke! I got over you and I moved on. Like you should have done and obviously have not. Now please, seriously, go away. I was having a good night." Sasuke opened his mouth to reply and was accosted before he could speak by Itachi himself.

"Good to see you again Naruto. Have a good day." He nodded regally in the blonde's direction, his hand clamping on his little brother's shoulder. "Sasuke, come." And with that, he firmly manhandled Naruto's ex back into the distance. Moving swiftly away from the table in question was suspiciously-familiar heads of pink and blonde. Naruto sighed and dropped his head into his hands, scrubbing at his face.

"God damnit," he grumbled. "Fucking teme just has to ruin everything." He took another deep sigh, this one of courage instead of aggravation, and turned back to where the redhead had been standing last and was surprised to find him still standing there. He blinked. "Um, I'm sorry about that. That was my recent ex. If you.. hadn't already guessed." Gaara just stared at him. "I understand that I'm more trouble than I'm worth and I hope I didn't ruin you night," he said near-despairingly, turning to go. Firm fingers wrapping around his wrist stopped him and forced him to turn back.

"I live close by." Naruto blinked, startled by the huskiness of the voice and the lust-dilated pupils. His breath hitched in his throat and he nodded dumbly as he quickly caught on.

"Ok." Like magic, Sakura and Ino appeared with his jacket in their hands, grinning like hyenas.

"Well, Naruto, I see you've found some eye candy so we will see you at home," Ino said as Sakura shoved his jacket into his arms and used his moment of distraction to further muss his hair. She shoved him towards his waiting date and they both slapped an ass cheek, grinning cheekily at him when he turned to mock-glare at them. A hand slipped into his and he turned back to find the redhead impatiently tugging him towards the stairway out the club. They stopped at the coat check where Gaara only had to look at the man behind the counter before he hastily grabbed down a long black coat with a red, fur-lined hood set apart from the others and nearly threw it at the redhead in his haste to get it to him so quickly. The man's nervousness was completely ignored as he shrugged the coat on and walked out the front door, Naruto's hand back in his.

There was a valet standing besides an already-running motorcycle not far from the door and it was this vehicle that Naruto was being pulled towards. His breath hitched. How long would he have to survive sitting behind such an attractive man while intense vibrations would make certain parts of him more than anxious to get to their destination. Gaara swung a leg over the machine and turned to look at him, waiting. Flashing him a smile, Naruto followed suit, wrapping his arms around Gaara's waist and he'd hardly taken a breath before they were off.

The experience was exhilarating: the wind in his hair, the rumble of the machine between his legs, but most of all, the feel of the lean man pressing into his front. Naruto buried his face in the cloth of the hood before he allowed his arms to loosen but not let go. First one then the other, he let his arms fall down, and then rose back up, this time under the redhead's shirt, his palms pressed flat against the smooth skin. Slowly, one muscle at a time, he mapped out the muscled chest, getting even more and more turned on and his hips beginning to gyrate against the seat below him. God, if it continued this way, he was going to cum before they even got there. Slowly, and regretfully, he pulled his hands from underneath the fabric and gripped that of his coat instead, turning his heated cheeks to the night air, willing his body to cool down during the wait time.

Thankfully, time passed quickly as they pulled up a tall, expensive looking building. Naruto seemed to be hopping off before it had fully stopped, nearly beating an awaiting valet to take the vehicle. Gaara's descent was more graceful but he did seem to walk faster than before as he practically dragged Naruto into the building and onto an elevator. They were the only ones in the small room and as soon as the doors closed, the redhead was on him, turning him and shoving his back into the wall. The wide railing dug into his lower back but he didn't mind, and he barely noticed at that either. Gaara's mouth was hot and instant against his, his tongue invasive within seconds, pushing between his lips and battling with his own tongue. His aggressiveness just served to spur on the blonde's arousal and he gripped the hips pressing into his, creating friction between their erections. Before he could moan, the warm body against his was gone and he was blinking in surprise as the elevator dinged and let them off. He was pulled to one of two doors in the hall and a slight jingling sound was in the air as keys were pulled and sorted. Even as the key was inserted, the redhead's motions calm and confident, Naruto became impatient and turned the redhead around, pressing his back to the door to resume their kiss.

They were flipped suddenly, the redhead now pressing insistently into him. Those sinful, skillful lips suddenly broke from his to nip and kiss their way along his jawline and down his throat, leaving him panting and gripping the back of the long black coat, tilting his head to the side in encouragement. Suddenly, the door holding him up was gone and he stumbled backwards, the arm around his waist the only thing from keeping him from falling. The door slammed shut and he shoved the redhead against it instantly, taking his time now to kiss down the pale skin. His fingers nimbly unbuttoned those of his hosts' shirt before sliding beneath the fabric and shoving both shirt and coat from the man. As the thick material fell to the floor, Naruto took a small step back, taking in the alabaster god leaning against the door. No one he'd ever seen had ever looked that perfect and so that was what he had to be. A god. He was relaxed against the dark wood that contrasted sharply with the absolute white of his skin and made the bright red of his hair glow in the unlit gloom of the apartment. Naruto could see the rolling muscles that he had been feeling up on the bike and he licked his lips, imaging what he would taste like. The motion seemed to catch the attention of hooded eyes and before the redhead could do anything, Naruto was dropping to his knees in front of the man, kissing along the sharp v of the man's hips as he undid the buckle, already working on the button and the zipper before the belt was even fully out of the way. Pushing the fabric aside, he was pleased to find the man had gone commando and he easily pulled the thick erection from its confines.

"You are so fucking beautiful," he murmured, looking up into glowing green eyes. Without looking forward, he kept eye contact as he slid the erection before him between his lips. The taste was everything he'd thought it would be and more. It was like tasting the wind, the wind and cinnamon, the overall effect a musky taste that had his eyes rolling closed, the first to break eye contact. He kept his eyes closed as he worked his tongue and his teeth over the erection, slowly taking more and more of the length into his mouth. He had always been proud of his lack of a gag reflex, more for the ability to down as much ramen as possible in as short a time as possible, but it definitely came in handy now.

Finally, his nose was pressing amongst fine, red hair and he began to move back and forth along the length, keeping his throat relaxed as his pace slowly increasing until slim fingers threaded through his hair, slowing his motions. The tip slipped from between his lips with a lewd 'pop' and he shot a shy smile up to the man above him. A twitch of lips was his only response before the man fell to his knees and began yanking Naruto's jacket off followed quickly by his shirt. As soon as his torso was bare, he was being shoved to the cool wood floor, hot skin immediately pressing against his own as teeth attacked his neck and fingers of one hand tortured a nipple while the other explored hand explored every inch of his exposed skin. One hard bite in particular to his jugular had him crying out, hips bucking up into the body splayed atop his. The body above him moved, sliding between his legs to thrust against his pelvis as those devious teeth worked a fresh hickey into the flesh of his neck. His own hands occupied themselves gripping the firm muscles of his partner's back as he writhed in pleasure on the floor.

The aggressive teeth slowly departed from his neck, moving their way down his chest, licking and nipping wherever they could, stopping to first torment one nipple and then the other. The tip of his tongue alternated between circling just out of reach of his nipple and nibbling on the nipple itself until Naruto was panting and squirming and painfully hard before moving to the other. The blonde was thankful that he didn't spend as long on the second nipple as he did on the first because if he had, he would have burst. That mouth moved down his torso, the teeth, always the teeth, placing small bites everywhere before they were soothed with a kiss or a swipe of the tongue. Finally, the line of his pants were reached and the redhead seemed to have run out of patience with his teasing because he harshly undid the several buttons holding the pants in place before practically ripping them off tan legs, eyes narrowing as Naruto's erection bounced free, bobbing in the air. He had also gone commando, only because he hadn't been able to figure out how to wear them with his ridiculous ensemble but now he was glad. Before he could say a word, the nightclub owner swooped and sucked the tip of his erection between his lips.

"Gaara!" The same lips still sucking the head of his cock into that mouth like it was a goddamned lollipop smirked at him, both hands moving to hold down his hips with more strength than he thought the man had before he was being deep-throated without warning. "Fuck!" he cried out, throwing his head back and eyes squeezing shut with the force of his pleasure. "Ngh. God, Gaara..." His hands clawed at the floor from the pleasured agony of his new inability to move his hips. One hand suddenly did leave his flesh and before he could take advantage, his mind slowed by the haze of lust and the feeling of being blown so expertly, fingers were at his lips and he moaned as he sucked them in, first one, then two, then three, coating them with his spit, his tongue mirroring the tongue on his manhood. He whined when the fingers were pulled from his throat, even as the coil in his stomach tightened and tightened and he tried subduing the feeling to make everything last longer. Suddenly, a warm, wet finger was pressing into his entrance and he moaned again, psychically willing the finger to just press in already! And finally it did, but it was immediately dragging right back out and he whimpered before a second one pressed in along the first, scissoring to stretch the muscles. He did the best he could to relax but he was so incredibly turned on right now and if he didn't stop, he was going to-

"Gaara," he moaned as three fingers pressed inside. "I'm so close..." he whispered, and almost as if he'd been waiting for Naruto to say that, Gaara pressed directly on that button and the blond man was crying out his release into the awaiting mouth. Those torturous lips licked every bit of him clean as he lay on the floor panting, whimpering when the fingers in his ass pulled out. A hand grasped his and, to his great surprise, yanked him from the floor to his feet. He could only blink and stumble in his surprise at the unexpected movement but before he could comment, he was being lifted into sturdy arms and walked through the living room into the bedroom. He could only blush at his position but he didn't have much time to mull on it as he was promptly dropped on the bed. He scooted backwards as the gloriously naked and unashamed redhead dropped to his knees on the bedspread and crawled up the bed after him, expression positively predatory. Pale fingers wrapped around a tan ankle and dragged him a little forward on the bed before crawling behind him, shoving his chest to the bed as he yanked his hips and ass into the air, posing him on his knees. Face in the sheets, Naruto's blush took over his face and he wiggled his ass self-consciously. A hand slapped him and he paused, blush darkening.

There was a small rustle, the sound of foil opening, and then a wet tongue was tracing his entrance and he moaned. His hands fisted in the sheets as a slim-fingered hand reached between his legs to grasp his rapidly-growing erection. The wet muscle pierced the tight ring, pressing inside, over and over as the hand on his manhood continued to stroke him in rhythm until he was a mewling, writhing mess in the now severely-mussed sheets.

"Gaara, please!" he cried, nearly in tears with the sensory overload. "I need you!" The tongue withdrew and he couldn't help but whimper. Legs slid between his as hands grasped his shoulders, pulling his torso from the bed and before he knew it, he was being lowered onto the thick erection behind him, the other's knees lifting to provide a support on his chest. There was a dull pain from the stretching necessary to accommodate the girth of the redhead's erection but finally, he was fully immersed and Naruto was laying panting against the propped-up thighs. Without waiting, he braced his hands on the knees in front of him, his knees splayed out on either side of pale hips, and began to lift himself up, up, up the erection before slamming back down into it. He did it again and again until the one from his entrance faded and a new burn started in his thighs. He knew that men loved watching their cocks get eaten by whoever they were fucking so he couldn't much complain about their positions but he was hoping to taste more of that mouth.

He let one hand drop from the bracing knees to grab his own erection and he got no more than two pumps in before the body below him heaved and the legs under him withdrew sharply as the manhood inside him pulled out. He only had time to open his mouth before that warm chest was pressing into his back, pressing his own chest back to the bed as the thick erection slammed back into him without warning. He cried out in pleasure but not pain, fingers gripping back in the sheets as the hips behind him started a gruelling pace. One he could only hang on to for the ride. Hands grasped his hips, fingers digging in and his ass was shifted just an inch but suddenly, the pistoning piece of manflesh pummeling his inwards wasn't striking at just anything anymore.

"Gaara!" He almost screamed in his pleasure, biting down in the sheets to muffle his loud cries. One on the hands on his hips left and a moment later was threading through his hair, harshly pulling his head back and arching his chest towards the bed. He turned his head toward the one behind him, balancing himself with a locked elbow to reach the other hand behind his head to grab the others and pull him into a kiss that had him out of breath in seconds. That awful mouth pulled from his and turned its attention to his arm, nibbling along the curve down to the lobe and back.

"Don't hide your voice from me," came the command in a hot breath against the sensitive shell of his ear.

"Ah! O-ok," he whimpered in response. The hand left his hair, sliding around his waist to grab his neglected erection and he threw his head back, crying out. "Feels.. feels so good..." he mumbled, eyes closed. The hand on his erection sped up and his pants quickly turned into moans with every breath. "Gaara, I'm going to cum..." he whispered. The speed of the thrusts increased as did the hand and the coil low in his insides tightened, tightened, tightened... "Oh god, Gaara Gaara Gaara!" he chanted. "Ah!" The tight coil suddenly released and his vision went white with his orgasm. The man behind him bit down on his shoulder, hips coming to an abrupt stop with only two shallow pumps, his body shuddering against his own.

Naruto collapsed onto the sheets, his skin covered in a fine sheen of sweat as he tried to catch his breath, waiting for his heart to stop beating so rapidly. Gaara pulled out, dropping to the sheets next to him. Green eyes calmly beheld blue, pale and chest rising and falling rapidly but face calm. Suddenly, the tan man broke into a wide grin and crawled over to the pale man, rolling him on his back to lean down and kiss him within an inch of his life.

"Shit, man. You are absolutely fantastic," he praised between kisses. The redhead's lips twitched as he reached a hand up the bury in the golden tresses and hold them together. The kiss turned slow, sensual, and it wasn't long before both of their erections returned and Gaara was suddenly pushing Naruto onto his back, his mouth touring every inch of the exposed chest, neck, and shoulders. "Jesus, Gaara. How long can you go for?" The man stopped to meet his eyes, keeping silent for a long minute.

"A while." Naruto blinked and then a slow, perverted smile spread across his lips.

~X~

A familiar, quiet, ringtone woke Naruto suddenly from his sleep as he shot off the bed, grabbing his pants on the short sprint to the bathroom they had used to shower, and fuck, then shower again, in last night, closing the door before he had even been awake for 30 seconds. He pulled the vibrating device quickly from the leather pocket and flipped it open, too much in a hurry to bother looking at the caller ID.

"Moshi moshi?" he slurred, sleep slowing his tongue.

"NARUTO!" his head jerked back in response and he hurriedly turned down the volume. "Are you still drunk? It's after noon!"

"Damn, Sakura. No. I just woke up," he replied, his tongue cleared in the aftermath of his shock.

"Good. And even better, it sounds like you two bumped uglies all night, ne?" He rolled his eyes at her vulgar tone as he rubbed the sleep from his face. He opened the door softly and peeked out into the bedroom, finding Gaara still asleep within the sheets. His pale skin, marked with small hickeys, glowed from what the opened curtains let in and as he stood there staring at the perfect form, a heat broke across telling him he was blushing something fierce and he closed the door again as reality hit in the bright morning light.

"Later. Sakura, I need a pick up right now."

"Why? Is he kicking you out already? And from where." He blatantly ignored her first question.

"I'm not quite sure where I am. I call you in five with the address." And without waiting for a response that he knew was going to be more prying, he closed the phone and shoved it back in his pants pocket. Suddenly, it came to his attention that he was still completely nude and in what was practically a stranger's bathroom in broad daylight. Face flaming anew, he jumped and wiggled his way back into the leather pants and then silently opened the door again, peeking into the bedroom again, making sure the man in the bed was still sleeping. He hadn't moved. Coast clear.

Moving quieter than he ever had, he zipped through the room and out into the living room, swiping first his tank top off the floor and then his jacket, throwing them on as he shoved his feet into the haphazardly-placed boots. He paused, glancing behind him and listening hard. Still nothing. Good. He opened the door just as silently as he'd done everything else and slipped into the hallway, closing the door behind him and jogging down the hall to the stairs, eager to burn off some energy.

Inside the apartment, a green eye cracked open and lips tilted in a smirk.

~X~

"Damn it, Naruto! Have these pants been sitting here all week?" the disgruntled pink-haired woman shouted, yanking the crumpled leather from out of the bathroom's corner where the door had been hiding from her view.

"That depends on which pants you're asking about!" came the response from downstairs. She sighed, rubbing her temple, praying to any deity that would listen for patience. She dug in the pockets, remembering how they had been stuffed with numerous names and numbers that night at the club. She frowned when she found nothing in the first pocket, and it continued to deepen as the second and the third came up empty. It was highly unusual for Naruto to throw anything away without being prompted first, regardless of how much he didn't need it. As she slid her fingers in the final pockets, she was met with a single, small card. She pulled it out and found it empty on the first side, and the flip side contained only a first name and a phone number.

"Gaara..." she read aloud. The name sounded familiar and she said it again and again until it clicked as the name Naruto couldn't seem to stop talking about for the last week and couldn't stop lamenting how much he regretted not getting at least a phone number. Excitement bubbled inside her fast and hot. "Naruto? Naruto!"

~X~

Gaara checked his phone again. No messages. He slid the device back in his pocket and returned his eyes to the cleaners working on the dance floor.

"What's wrong, baby bro?" His eyes flicked to Kankuro standing just to his side, a feather duster in hand as he made sure all the liquor bottle labels were clear and facing the bar. He didn't answer. "C'mon, Gaara. You're still as emotionless as ever but I've never seen you look at your phone unless you're answering a phone call. And you hardly ever do that. So, what's up?" Gaara remained silent but then a sly smile spread across his lips. "Waaaaaait. I know what this is about. It's about the blondie, yeah?" The redhead remained silent but the flick of mint-green eyes towards the brunette was answer enough and the older man let out a loud whoop, startling the cleaners into stopping and staring. "Awwww, you like him!" Without warning, Kankuro whipped out his own cell, dialing a speed dial. "Temari, you won't believe this but our little brother has a motherfucking boyfriend!" Gaara could hear his sister's response even from where he stood several feet away.

"GAARA FOUND A BOYFRIEND?!" That shout was followed by another loud whoop, this only accompanied with an electronic buzz indicating his sister had made the sound. If Gaara was anyone but Gaara, he probably would have rolled his eyes at his siblings' antics. Just then, his pocket began to vibrate and he pulled his phone back from his pocket, eyeing the unfamiliar number and letting the corner of his lip twitch.

"Moshi moshi."

"Hi, uh, Gaara," the familiar, nervous started and he could almost see the blush forming across tan cheeks. "I, um, found your number in my pocket. Er, my roommate did." He remembered a pink-haired and blonde-haired woman flocking to the man's side as he was about to leave as nervous laughter floated out of the speaker. "Funny thing, actually. I remember my pockets being stuffed with phone numbers when I left the club but yours was the only one she found." Gaara's lips did actually form a full smirk this time as he recalled the pile of napkins and business cards burnt to ashes in his trash can.

"How curious," he murmured instead. Kankuro had fallen silent and was staring at him. He ignored him.

"Well, I've been thinking a lot this week about, well, that night. And you. Mainly you. And I was actually hoping-er, wondering, if you would be interested in meeting again. Not just for, eh, well, like a date. An actual date. Like coffee or a movie or din-"

"How does Thursday sound?" he firmly cut in, realizing that the blonde, who he'd already discovered had an affinity for talking, was very nervous and in such a state would plough on with no signs of stopping. A deep breath came in over the line somehow he knew it was accompanied by a smile.

"Thursday sounds great."

FIN

It took me 2 and a half weeks to write this, though less than 24 hours of it was actual writing. I'm awful about procrastination. Well, it's finally done. When I had finished Fireworks (Part II), I promised my next upload would be G/N. Not only had I not expected it to take 6 months, but I also hadn't expected it to be this story. Mainly because I have a huge piece I'm working on that I thought I would have finished by now but is turning out a lot (LOT) larger than planned. So it's taking awhile and in the meantime, there's this. Since I've got 18, well, now 17, fanfiction WIPs, there's no telling what will come out next. So, in the meantime, PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! ^.^