Yay! Happy birthday for Angel-chan! This lovely fic is devoted, wholely and entirely, to you! I hope you enjoy it!
Love, Katie-chan!
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"Naruto, open up!" Sakura yelled, pounding on the Hokage's door with one fist, her other hand busy holding a stack of papers.
"Sakura-chan," the Hokage whined, "I've got enough paperwork! Besides, I have to skip out on the festival today because of your stupid paperwork!"
Sakura let herself into the office with a smile. "Well, then," she said, taking a look at the two giant piles of paper on Naruto's desk, "looks like you've got a lot done, huh? I suppose you could take a break." Naruto's previous glum face broke out into a smile. "Oh, wait, I forgot." Strike that. The blonde was frowning again, and he ruffled his hair anxiously, ready to get out into the sunshine and warmth of the midday sun. But Sakura was keeping him from the nice outdoors, and the festival that came only once a year on this day!
"What is it?" the blonde asked gruffly. "Yet another stack of papers? Or, no, wait! I have to review a class of snotty kids to see if they're ready to graduate or not? That's it, isn't it?"
Sakura's grin broadened. "No, actually, you'll have to play ambassador for a day. We have visitors from Suna—"
Hmph. Maybe she had kept that last part a secret, until after she had told Naruto what he was supposed to do. But once he had heard the word "Suna," Naruto was up and running down the outside steps of the Hokage Tower, excite and ready to greet his friends from the faraway village of the sand.
Even from faraway, Naruto could see the small group standing by the front gates as he ran down the street, one hand on his hat to keep it from blowing away as he ran. Just as he could see them, the small group appeared to be watching for Naruto, and started shouting greetings to him once he got close enough.
"Yo, Naruto-chan!" Kankuro yelled, cupping his mouth with one hand so the sound would go further and raising one hand in the air to wave it, as if Naruto couldn't pick him out form the crowd surrounding them. With the festival, the streets were crowded, and a majority of the citizens on the main street had stopped to watch as the group from Suna awaited further guidance into the town. Luckily enough for Naruto, people saw him coming and moved out of the way.
Naruto grinned. Kankuro was still wearing the same hoody as always, with the neko ears and circle on the front. Looking to Kankuro's left, he saw Temari, still as beautiful and feisty-looking as she always had been. For a moment, Naruto wondered if Shikamaru knew Temari was in town, and then the thought flew out of his head. For there, standing right in front of his siblings in a blue and white robe similar to his own was the Kazekage. Naruto slowed down as he reached the group, putting on his best welcoming smile.
"Hey," he said, a little out of breath from having run all the way from the Tower.
"Hey yourself," Temari said with a smile. "How's our favorite Hokage doing?"
"Fine. You?"
"Pretty good. Things are a lot easier with Gaara runnin' the place." Temari winked at Naruto and nodded at Gaara's back. Naruto smiled and turned to face Gaara, greeting him properly for the first time.
"Hello, Gaara. How are things over in the Sand?"
"Good." Gaara caught Naruto's bright blue eyes with his own shining seafoam green ones, and then looked away; at the ground, into the ground, up at the sky. Anything to avoid eye contact.
"I see!" If Naruto noticed Gaara's odd behavior – which he did – he didn't say anything. "Are you here for the festival, or are you going to drag me back to my stuffy old office?"
Gaara laughed. It was much more like a chuckle, and it was so soft Naruto had to look at the Kazekage's lips to see if he was actually making any noise at all, but it was definitely under the restrictions of a "laugh".
"Nope, we came here for the festival," Kankuro said, with a louder, more characteristic laugh. "It only comes once a year, ya know, and we kinda wanted to see it. 'Sides, last year we missed it and Gaara pouted the rest of the week!" Kankuro let loose another loud laugh, and Naruto wondered if he had always laughed while he was a wild, drunken man. But even Temari, who had a poker-face like the best of them, had to stifle her own laugh. Gaara, on the other hand, didn't think it was too funny. He turned slightly and gave his older brother a death glare, effectively causing the elder to shut up.
"Well, we also wanted to visit, too," Temari added helpfully. Her giggling fit obviously hadn't lasted long, but there was a definite smile on her face. Gaara threw her a glance and then nodded, turning back to stare with penetrating eyes at Naruto.
"Well, then," Naruto said, "shall we? Sakura-chan has had me stuck in my office all day, so I haven't looked around at all! Would you like to come with me, Gaara-san?" Gaara nodded, and Naruto walked off, Gaara only half a step behind.
"Have you noticed, "Temari asked her brother, "that Gaara's been in a considerably better mood since we announced that we planned to come to the festival? And even though we planned on going by ourselves, he insisted on tagging along? Do you think…" Temari left off there, struggling for the right words.
"That it's Naruto-kun?" Kankuro finished for her. Temari nodded, and Kankuro watched the retreating backs of his brother and the Hokage. "I dunno. Possibly. Are you suggesting that we follow them to find out?" An evil grin appeared on the brunette's face, as he imagined stalking his younger brother as he went about on his "date".
"No!" Temari said furiously as she whacked Kankuro on his head with her fan. "Leave them alone, will ya? This particular festival only comes once a year, and as long as he's using the cover of 'coming to Konoha for official business,' he can have as much fun as he wants! Plus, it's even better that Naruto is a willing partner!" It was Temari's turn to grin wickedly.
"Temari," Kankuro sighed, "Naruto is not a "partner". That's only in your fantasies. You know, the ones where Gaara and Naruto get married and have a bunch of kids and live happily ever after (YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THEM TOO! XD)!"
"Oh, gee, I thought that was real life I was thinking about," Temari said innocently, and Kankuro had to smile at his older sister's antics.
"Eh, whatever. As long as those two are having fun."
And having fun they were. Gaara and Naruto walked through the busy streets, glad for the shade their large hats gave them, the brutal sun beating down from above them in the middle of the sky. Several times Naruto stopped and asked to try some of the festival games, and always Gaara would nod and watch as Naruto lost at the game terribly. Once Naruto even got Gaara to try a game, and the red-head walked away with a medium-sized panda plushie. Naruto thought the plushie was adorable, and vowed that he would get a plushie for himself by the end of the day.
One stall they stopped at had the scent of delicious food wafting past the small curtains dangling form the roof. Without a word, Gaara saw the hunger in Naruto's eyes and grabbed the Hokage's arm, pulling him into the small restaurant. It wasn't ramen, but it sure was good! The two kages sat next to each other at the counter, Naruto wolfing down a plate of food while Gaara ate much slower, savoring the taste, and mostly taking his time so he could watch Naruto eat, half for pleasure and half to make sure he didn't choke himself with one of the wooden chopsticks.
After eating, the two paid (Naruto's treat, of course!) and walked back outside. Most of the citizens had found their ways into shaded areas, because the sun was at the highest point in the sky, and was viciously beating down into the dirt streets and the heads of the others gathered out in small groups to talk and have fun. Naruto suggested a quick stop at the Hokage Tower so the two of them could shed their heavy kage cloaks, and Gaara readily agreed. The heat was even getting to someone who lived in the desert! Although, it was probably because it was more humid in Konoha than in Suna.
After that, Naruto and Gaara tried to keep to the shade as much as possible. Naruto tried again at the games and finally earned himself a small fox plushie. Grinning, he skipped back over to Gaara and proceeded to show off his latest prize with great pride. Gaara couldn't help but smile at the blonde's antics. Even if he was the leader of a great village, the Hokage was still only a boy at heart.
Time flew quickly, and before they knew it, Naruto and Gaara were sitting on the side of a hill on the very outskirts of the city, watching the night fireworks.
"Hey, Gaara," Naruto asked, accidentally forgetting to add a suffix to the end of the Kazekage's name, not that Gaara seemed to care. "Did you have fun today?"
"Yes, I did," Gaara said with a dreamy look on his face. Naruto looked up at the red-head and smiled, but Gaara was still in his daydream.
Naruto was up and in Gaara's face in less than a second, his soft pink lips touching briefly with Gaara's chapped ones. Gaara's eyes widened, and Naruto smirked, sitting back on his haunches in front of him. "I'm glad you had a good time," Naruto said, his smirk turning into a caring smile. Gaara's eyes widened as Naruto swooped in again, capturing those delicious chapped lips once more, reflexes taking over as he instinctively deepened the kiss. Gaara was hesitant at first, but then his hands came up to shakingly rest on Naruto's shoulders, and Naruto smiled into the kiss as he saw that his other was starting to relax just a bit more.
"We won't be able to see each other for a long time after this festival is over," Naruto sighed, breaking the kiss, but keeping his tan hands pressed against Gaara's back, so Gaara could not retreat from the blonde's embrace.
"I know," Gaara said regretfully. "Possibly the Chuunin Exams, which come up in 3 months."
"That's too long!" Naruto whined, and he fell forward, tackling his lover into the ground. Gaara let out a small "oof" sound, his breath being knocked out by Naruto's sudden movement. "I know!" Naruto suddenly sat up and shuffled around in the pile of their belongings. Re-emerging into Gaara's sight, he waved his fox plushie around in the air a little and then rested it on Gaara's chest. Gaara looked at it, and then slowly wrapped his arms around it protectively.
"While I'm gone, look at this and remember me. That way I'll stay in your memory!" Gaara nodded, and then reached over to grab his panda, sitting it on Naruto's lap. Naruto wrapped his arms around it too, the moment it touched his legs.
Naruto hugged his panda for a moment, and then rolled over so he was lying on his back, next to Gaara. "I love you," he said softly. Gaara didn't need to know whether he was talking to him or the stuffed animal.
--3 months later--
"Welcome, Kazekage," the Hokage said with a smile. Up in the reserved box, the Hokage and Kazekage could sit and discuss the participants of the Chuunin Exams in private, with a bird's eye view. It was easy to see everyone else, but you had to crane your neck to see them.
"Thank you for inviting me," Gaara said, a light smile playing on his lips. Both of the men bowed to each other, and then took their seats in the chairs placed side my side.
"So," Naruto started, trying to strike up a conversation, "how have things been in—"
Gaara interrupted Naruto further by leaning over and giving him a quick peck on the lips. "It's starting he said simply, with a smirk in place." Bringing a finger to his lips, Gaara let his robes shift in his lap, and a bright red object caught Naruto's attention. It was the fox plushie he had given Gaara those few months back.
Naruto grinned. "Alright, but I'd like to introduce you to someone." Naruto gestured to his right, and Gaara shifted in his seat so he could look over the armrest of Naruto's chair. There, sitting in his own little chair, was the panda plushie. "His name's Mr. Panda-kun, and he's very special to me."
Gaara smiled. "Ditto."
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Che LOL! Happy Birthday, Angel-chan! I hope you spend it with that special someone!