Fading Dream

Chapter 7: Cross the line, dear sister!

When Uzumaki Naruto woke up this morning, he heard the birds tweet and felt the sun shine in his face. There was a faint memory of a strange dream , but as soon as Naruto tried to catch it, it was gone. He stretched his muscles - this night on the couch was way more comfortable - and a low, jet satisfied yawn escaped his mouth. Still sleepy he blinked. The dulled noise of the shopping street on the other side of the building reached his hears.

Despite that there was no sound in the apartment. Naruto sat slowly up, still a bit dazed from sleep. He rubbed his eyes when suddenly his stomach growled.

… Temari said she'd eat lunch at the café. He wondered if they also offer ramen there. Ever since Jiraiya took him to eat ramen a few weeks after he had to leave Konoha, he loved it. His obsession for the food made him go as far, as to learn how it was prepared, and he made his friends eat his creations several times a week. At first they made grimaces and after a certain fancy one, Sasori had to stay at the hospital for a week due to an upset stomach, but by now he was well-known for his tasty ramen. In the kitchen were all tools he needed to make ramen and he would make some right here and now, but when he searched through the kitchen yesterday, he found nothing eatable expect for the strawberries. Would it be possible to make ramen of strawberries …?

Naruto stripped and threw his smelly clothes over the back of the couch. In all the commotion the day before he totally forgot to change and in the evening he dropped dead tired to sleep without changing to his pajamas. He tugged a simple orange shirt with a black swirl on the chest, blue jeans and a pair of white socks out of his bag and made himself ready to search for Gaara. Somehow he was nervous about the silence in the apartment.

When he found Gaara last evening, he saw those strange yellow eyes again. Those eyes, he had thought they were his imagination, when he spoke the first time to the boy, almost six years ago. Apparently they were not. A strange feeling of hatred and the urge to dominate flooded him, when he had seen the teenager behave like a threatened animal. But as soon as he saw the usual shining green in Gaaras eyes, everything was gone.

Hopefully the redhead wasn't missing again today. He sighed relieved when he saw a note sticking on the door. 'I'm downstairs.' Somehow in a stunning good mood Naruto left the apartment. He slept like a log after the last day. He went a few steps down before something hit his mind. He still didn't know Gaaras last name, and now was the easiest time to answer this question. He took several steps at once to hurry back and squinted his eyes at the name tag. "Sabaku," he mumbled. Fitting. He turned on his heels and made his way down to the café.

…

On the first and even on the second and third glance it was a decent place to spend your time.  The day before yesterday Naruto didn't pay much attention to the furniture, but now, dimly illuminated and with patrons, it had his very own charm. Beside the counter there were mainly low tables with comfy looking plush-chairs.  At the ground were several small carpets, sometimes overlapping each other, giving also the possibility to sit on the ground, if you wanted to. To give the patrons privacy, big cactuses and small palm trees were spread between the tables and translucent fabrics hung from the ceiling. Everything, except for the plants of course, was kept in yellow, orange, red and brown. Low music was playing in the background. Though Gaara didn't really fit in the image, it was all in all, as said, a decent place to spend your time.

As long as your name wasn't Uzumaki Naruto. For him, something was strange about this café. It was as if it wanted to expulse him.

Naruto sat on the counter for about half an hour now, poking his piece of cake. It looked delicious, with apple and cinnamon, but somehow he didn't dare to eat. He felt at least a dozen pairs of eyes burning in his back.

He was the only one sitting at the counter. There were still free tables, but as soon as he opened the door, Gaara showed him with a glare, he wanted him to sit on the same spot like the day before yesterday. Despite the glare, the redhead seemed to be in a good mood once Naruto sat down and the cake was positioned in front of him. Though Naruto wasn't able to tell why, he put on a faked smile for his patrons and in front of Naruto his face was expressionless, but somehow he had the feeling, Gaara was really happy about something.

By time Naruto wondered why they stared at him that much.  When he was walking through the town on Saturday, no one stared at him. Maybe they forgot, maybe they didn't care, maybe they didn't recognize him, in the end it was the same: Naruto wasn't stared at like a monster.

But now … He didn't think the girls stared at him because of the kyuubi. It was a different kind of stare than what he was used to see, when he was a child. Still disgust, but also hatred. He heard them whisper and hissing, but he wasn't able to hear anything in specific.

"You didn't eat," Gaara interrupted his musings. Naruto heard the noise of the girls increasing.

"Hm? Yeah." Hastily Naruto shoved the cake into his mouth. As soon as he finished, he jumped from his chair, said his thanks to a slightly puzzled looking Gaara, and rushed out of the café. He didn't like to do that, but he wasn't able to bear the tension in there anymore.

Maybe he should pay Sakura a visit. He wasn't able to ask her the first day and yesterday he even didn't saw her. Frankly, as much as he liked Gaara, he didn't want to bother the withdrawn boy too much. He somehow had the feeling, the redhead wanted more time for himself. Naruto wasn't ever before at Sakuras home, but it wasn't hard to find after she gave him a short description of the way the day before yesterday. She seemed to be a bit surprised, but also happy, to see him.

"You can be glad today is my day off," she told him teasingly in her room.

"Are you working already?" Despite his question, he wasn't really surprised. Sakura was never a person to waste much time.

She nodded. "Together with Ino at her parents flower shop. But it's more like a holiday job for now."

They drifted into small talk and for once Naruto had for the glimpse of a moment the thought, maybe his six years not being in Konoha were really good. Otherwise he would never had build a relationship that good with the girl of his dreams.

 

---

 

It was already early evening, when the blond came back. His sudden leave this morning left Gaara stunned for a few seconds, but after all his fox had his own life, and he wasn't going to steal it, if not necessary.

The young man sat down on his usual place and dropped his head on the counter. Gaara tilted his head, knowing Naruto would be able to read his gestures.

The blond sighed. "Sakura says, I can't stay with her for now. She's still living with her parents and they never ever would let a male friend sleeping with her in one room. Something about Sasuke and her crush and how he hurt her without even being in a relationship and so on …"

Though a little part of him jumped in happiness at this, Gaara raised a brow. Naruto didn't get it this time. "And that's letting you down today? Wasn't your meeting two days ago?"

Naruto lifted his head and sat straight now, as always when he's nervous, scratching the back of his head and faintly smiling. "About that - Well, I wasn't alone with her that day and didn't want to rush on her. Apparently she organized a little surprising welcome-home meeting with all my old friends."

And of course nobody told Gaara, the fox would come back to Konoha. Well, no surprise.

"So I paid her a visit today, but with no lucky end … Though she was worried I had to sleep in the park," he chuckled.

"No wonder. You smell like you slept in the park."

"Wha-"

"Just go up and take a shower. I'll close in about an hour." Gaara hold a spare key right in Narutos face. The fox looked uncertain, but eventually he took it, stood up and left the café again. One hour. Gaara hoped, he left the bathroom by that time already and hadn't decided to take a bath.

When Gaara entered his apartment, he heard the familiar swoosh of his shower. How fucking long needed the fox to shower?  An unfamiliar smell coming from his kitchen distracted him from the feeling, what the thought of Naruto naked in his shower threw through his body.

And there was something unfamiliar in his kitchen. On the table, which was mainly decoration and existed to give his sister the feeling, he actually eats something at home, were two bowls with a steaming content, each with a pair of chopsticks on top of it. Gaara had never seen something like that in those bowls. Before he was able to inspect it any further, he heard the click of the bathroom door behind him. His head snapped over his shoulder.

Did his fox even know, what he was doing to him? Naruto peeked from behind the door through the corridor. Just his head and a part of his well-trained chest was visible, but the fact that he was still dripping wet, made Gaaras imagination run wild.

The blond grinned innocent. "Don't start without me! I'm there in five." He disappeared behind the door again, leaving an upset Gaara.

Just sit down and calm … Various images dashed through Gaaras head. The door opened again. HOLY GOD IN HEAVEN! At least he was wearing clothes.

Naruto grinned at him again, walked towards the table and sat down on the opposite side.  He tugged one of the bowls towards him, announced, "Itadakimasu!" and started his meal. Some moments passed before he noticed that Gaara hadn't budge at all. "Something wrong?"

Gaara looked doubting at the remaining bowl. "What is that?"

"Ramen! Don't tell me you've never eaten ramen before!" Gaara shook his head. "… Just give it a try, okay? For me, please?" the blond asked with a puppy face.

Well, it looked eatable and it was eatable. There were better things in this world, but it was certainly eatable. Gaara nodded approving. His little golden fox smiled content.

"If you want, I can cook every day for you. Don't think ramen is the only thing I'm capable of doing!" he said cheerful.

Gaara shrugged. "Lunch. Temari won't have to come over then anymore." One person who wants him to eat was more than enough.

Naruto seemed to be utterly happy, but to Gaaras misfortune he was silent for the rest of the meal and retired soon for the night.

 

---

 

There is someone staring at him.

It isn't like the stare he had to endure, when he was a kid, and not like the stare the girls in the café this morning gave him. It's  measuring, recording every inch of his body. It's strange, the stare should bother him, but somehow he likes it. It is that kind of stare that makes you feel wanted, needed, loved.

Naruto yanked out of his dream. What the hell was that? It felt so real.

The sky was slightly lighted by the rising sun and Naruto heard footsteps in the apartment, Gaara wasn't downstairs yet. Naruto remembered, he wanted to ask the redhead something, so he shoved the dream away and hurried to leave the room.

He found Gaara sitting in the kitchen, sipping coffee like usual. "Hey …" Naruto didn't really know how to start. "Uhm …" Gaara cocked his head in question. "Well, can you ask the owner of the café if there's a job as waiter or so?" He nervously shifted his weight from one feet to the other and back. "It looked somehow crowded yesterday. I don't know how you're managing that all on your own. Just want to help you somehow for letting me live here."

Gaara didn't show any reaction for some moments. "I don't think the owner would like you to work there just to help me out."

"Please?" Naruto pleaded, "I don't need an allowance or so."

Again no reaction for some moments. "I'll ask. Don't come into the café before lunchtime. Temari will be there at about one p.m.. Can you manage to prepare something by then?"

"Of course!" Naruto was back to his cheerful grin.

Somehow it was now like six years ago in the greenhouse again. Naruto was ranting about this and that and Gaara seemed to be deep in thoughts, not really ignoring him, but also not really listening, until the redhead had to leave for work.

…

Naruto sat on the same spot like the day before and felt the same glares and scowls already burning into his neck, though he sat there for not more than five minutes now. As if he didn't notice any of the bad air in the café, Gaara nibbled at the sandwich Naruto had prepared. How was he supposed to endure this during his new job as waiter during the late afternoon and evening hours, which Gaara was able to wrench from the owner?

Naruto tried to shield himself off from all those glares. Suddenly a women sat beside him. He gave her a short glace. Temari.

"So you've made acquaintance with his little fan-club already?" she whispered in his ear.

'She's damn hot!' Why had Shikamarus statement about the older sister of one of his best friends to pop out in his mind now? He swallowed and nodded.

Temari looked at her littlest brother and smirked. "And he doesn't even notice it. Well, I'm happy they know I'm his sister." She didn't whisper anymore in his ear, but spoke low enough for Gaara not to hear them.

She looked knowingly at Naruto. "I guess, otherwise I wouldn't be alive anymore." WHAT? Apparently she was able to read minds and fell in a loud laughter. "Not really. But some of them can be really harsh. Especially in vacation time like now, when those who still go to school have free time the whole day form groups and make your life hard." Naruto felt the panic in him rising. "But I guess, I owe you one, Uzumaki Naruto. You were able to find him, as he told me, and seemingly want him to eat something, just like me. So," and there she whispered in his ear again, this time with a seductive tone, "just play an act with me and they will leave you, hopefully," causing Naruto to blush.

She gave her little brother, who had observed the situation without any visible expression in his face, a short smirk and pressed her body against Naruto. What was she doing?! His gaze shot to her brother, but he didn't budge at all.

The blonde woman looked deep into Narutos eyes, her lashes fluttering. She gave him a soft kiss on his jar and made her way up to his earlobe. "I guess, that will show them you aren't here for my little brothers ass. And to be honest, I hope for you, you really aren't here for that. You know, some member of his fan-club think he's gay, because he never really talked to them despite all their effort. But even with the male regulars he's not on good terms. And now you're here, he's chatting with you and eats the lunch you brought. So-so-so … I really hope their scales aren't working for you," she whispered again, giving a last, almost sisterly kiss on his cheek.

Naruto wasn't really sure if she meant this as a threat or in another way. Shikamaru was true, she was hot, but nothing could beat his Sakura. And he didn't want to break the heart of the woman, which was the older sister of one of his best friends and the crush of another of his best friends. For the threat … No way. Not a guy. And especially not Gaara. He was a friend. On top of that, there was no way, Naruto was gay. He was totally straight. Even if, and just IF, Naruto in any alternate universe would like the redhead in that way, there was absolutely no reason for Gaara to mess around with a man. To say, that boy had his own fan-club, according to his sister! In that age ...

Temari got up leisurely, gave him a seductive nod and left the café slowly. In the corner of his eyes he saw the 'fan-club', how Temari had called them, fevered whispering, but at least their stare was gone.

In contrast to Gaara, who gave Naruto a scowl. "You know I didn't ask her to do that, right?" he asked the boiling teenager. Apparently Gaara had a hard time to control himself, but in the end he relaxed.

"Just go for now, pay Sakura a visit or so, before the rumor spreads. It will be hard enough to keep contact to her. You might be working on different times of the day from tomorrow on."

Gaara confused Naruto. Normally he wouldn't let go off from Naruto and now he's sending him away? Is he already bothering him? "Hey, remember that day I found you crying because you were so lonely in the greenhouse?" Naruto asked his friend soft.

"I wasn't lonely," Gaara hissed back.

"Yeah, whatever … Dou you remember, what I thought why you were crying?"

Gaara furrowed his brows and cocked his head. "What are you hitting at?" Of course he remembered. Naruto smiled sad and looked at his hands.

"If your answer ever changes, tell me." Without waiting for an answer for now, Naruto got up and left the café.

…

Not knowing Sakuras working hours, Naruto headed for 'Yamanakas Flower Shop'. A blond girl with the light-blue eyes, who looked surprisingly alike her early-teen-version, welcomed him sincere and grinned knowingly at Naruto. Especially for Ino it was never a secret that he had a crush on her best friend.

"Flowers for Miss Huge Forehead?"

"Uhm, well, not really. I just wanted to look for her," Naruto replied and was glad that the blond women never told her friend about his feelings. That was something he wanted to tell her himself.

"No luck for you, like always," she teased him, "Sakuras shift is from 6 till 12 a.m. and, like you already found out, her day off is Monday."

The café was closed on Thursday, of course, as if there was any other possibility with Narutos luck. He cursed silent in his head. Gaara was right, it would be hard to see her. He quickly calculated the times in his head. If everything was well planned, he would see her for one or two hours a day, if she wanted to. He sighed. Well, make the best out of it and enjoy your last day as a free man.

Eventually he decided, with the help of Ino, to buy a potted Gardenia. "By the way, where are you staying? That first day you hadn't a bag with you, so I guess you visited someone before you met us." She smiled twisted at him, her hand propped on one of her palms, leaning against the counter. "It's not Sakura and none of those, who welcomed you back the first day. Don't try to fool me with saying you're staying at an hotel."

Naruto smiled nervous at her. He hoped, she wouldn't sense his nervousness, but what was he thinking? It was Ino. If she still was at least half as good in obtaining information, as she was when she was 13, she'll find out at last tomorrow. "I'm staying with Gaara," he mumbled.

Her lips formed a silent 'oh'. "Wasn't that the punk that destroyed Sakuras camera? What's she saying about that? Don't be flattered, but she likes you. Staying at her sworn enemy's place may not be the best idea, if you want it to stay that way."

"She doesn't know yet. For now there's no other way. I wasn't in contact with any of my friends here for almost six years except for her. By accident Gaara was the first one I met and he allowed me to leave my bag with him. To be honest," he pouted and folded his arms, "all of you messed up with my plans that day. Well, in the end I came back to get my bag and the first thing he did, was offering me his couch." Naruto remembered the question about sharing Gaaras  bed and forced it out of his head. "By the way, I got him to get me a job in the café he's working at, to compensate. Wanna come visit me?" He grinned cheerful at Ino.

 

---

 

It was already near midnight, when Naruto came home. Yes, home. Gaara wouldn't let his fox go. His leash would be long, he wouldn't even notice it, but in the end, Naruto was caught. Gaara sat on the floor in the living room, where the couch usually was. He wouldn't do anything about the empty spot before Naruto decided to share his bed.

From his spot Gaara was able to see the entrance door of his apartment. "You don't," he said in a monotone voice as soon as Naruto closed the door and turned into his direction.

"I don't what?" his fox asked back, kicked his shoes off and headed for the kitchen to dispose his groceries.

Gaara waited for him until he was back in the corridor. "You don't bother me."

Naruto raised a brow. "And that's you're saying, while sitting on the floor in your very own living room, while the couch is used as a make-shift bed in another room," Naruto doubted.

Gaara simply nodded. People told him often, his ways of reasoning weren't easy to follow, but he didn't see any sense in explain every little thought. He stood up and headed for his room. "Just be sure, you don't bother me at all," he added before closing his door after him, not looking at the blond.

He heard the door to Narutos room click and a few long moments later rustling of clothes being stripped off, but just one of two parts was put on again. Yes, this night was hotter than the last ones, Gaara realized. Not as if was hard enough to endure that Temari crossed a line this noon. It seemed, she knew something, the way she smirked at him before throwing herself at Naruto. There was no other reason for his sisters action, regarding all her character traits and likings. Teasing him was one of her favorite hobbies since she noticed, he wouldn't harm her anymore. And right now, there was just one thing he would prefer to do over killing her.

The man he needed for doing the thing, he liked to do, was also the reason, why he had been able to restrain the sand from smashing her right there and then on the counter in the café, and was sleeping now on the other side of the wall he was staring at right now.

There they were again, his two 'demons'. To be exact, just Shukaku was a demon. That other thing in him was just an emotion, though a very strong one. By now he knew, he had to give in at least a bit. Otherwise he would be really insane in a few weeks. Nobody would imprison him in a psychiatry again, that was Gaara sure of. Whether he had to kill everyone, who tried to trap him, or himself, he wouldn't go. But as long, as there was no reason for anyone to imprison him, Gaara wasn't forced to take radical methods.

He waited about half an hour, to make sure Naruto was sleeping, before he climbed through his window on the balcony, like the last two nights. Gaara wondered, how the blond would taste.