Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Deal with the Ex-Devil ❯ Chapter 2: Run Naruto, Run! ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 2: Run Naruto, Run!

A/N's: Its official, this is a fic that is in conjunction with Realization, taking place four years before the world that I've created there. That means that Naruto and Gaara couldn't hook up though, because I wrote that Naruto has only had three lovers…Ino, Sakura, and Kakashi (and then Sasuke when Naruto take's the guy's virginity making it four). It also means that no Sasuke or Sakura who lost their virginities to Naruto (who is still a virgin in this fic cause Kakashi hasn't molested the poor guy during a drunk and horny night). If you have no idea what I'm talking about click on my author's link and give Realization a read. I've received very good reviews of it on several fanfiction sites and it has Team 7 fun.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and do not make money off of this fic. Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto, give him love...buy his works.

CHAPTER BEGIN
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Gaara could hear the stifled giggles from both women and men as he walked down the streets of Konoha. The Kazekage had started his search in the Konoha training fields. Kakashi, Naruto's Team Leader, had let Gaara know that Naruto had left for lunch at the Ramen bar a little bit ago. He was grateful to Kakashi for giving such precise directions to Gaara's newest designated punching bag. So much so that he didn't even get angry when he noticed the older man's lazy gaze traveling up and down his body. From the stories that Naruto had told about his former sensei, Gaara was sure that Kakashi had been one of Naruto's best customers of Kazekage pornographic photos.

Gaara could hear Naruto before he ever saw him. The blonde was laughing and telling an unreasonably loud story about his last mission. He was sitting next to a very angry Uchiha Sasuke whose arms were crossed and teeth gritting together as Naruto jumped around pointing at him while acting out scenes from the mission. Apparently, the enemy had caught their team off guard in the morning, attacking just before dawn. Sasuke had brought several of them down, but not without sporting something that Naruto called “morning wood.” Gaara had never heard of such a tree, and it greatly confused him to why Sasuke would be fighting with such an object. Not that Gaara really cared, he had come to pummel Naruto, not listen to his stories.

“Uzumaki Naruto, come and meet your death!” Gaara called out to the older whiskered teen. Naruto stopped his anecdotal recount and froze in place. Sakura tugged on his shirt and whispered something to him.

“Oh Shit!” Naruto yelled and took off running with Gaara not far behind.

“Stop running and fight me like a man, Naruto,” Gaara warned. This did nothing to slow the speeding young man, he fled like his life depended on it. “If you will not stop of your own accord, I will help you.” Sand flew out of Gaara's gourd and snaked around the ankles of Naruto.

With a scream the blonde went flying into the ground below him coughing and sputtering. When he recovered from his dirt sandwich he rolled over and found himself face to face with his friend the Kazekage. “Hiya Gaara. So, what brings you to Konoha.”

Gaara stood over Naruto, straddling and trapping him. The Kazekage crouched low until his face was only inches from a trembling Naruto. “How is it that you still had a picture of me after you said they were destroyed?”

Naruto knew that Gaara's menacing growl of a question should be answered honestly and with careful word choice. “I just didn't delete the photo like you thought I did. I'm sorry Gaara really I…” Naruto's words were muffled by a ghostly hand of sand wrapping around his head. He could no longer speak, but thanked the powers above that he could still breath as Gaara hadn't completely blocked both airways.

“You will get every photo back.” It was a demand, but also a warning. Gaara continued his threat, “If you do not retrieve them all I will kill you in a horrible prolonged way that makes you beg for the mercy of death's release.” Naruto nodded as best he could with the sand nearly suffocating him. Gaara released his hold and gestured for Naruto to leave his presence, there was only so much that he could take before he decided that he really did want to hurt Naruto. Naruto had been his first real friend, and no matter what he threatened to do, Gaara had no real desire to kill or injure him in the slightest. In a flash the red-headed Kazekage was left standing alone.

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In lieu of staying in an inn, Gaara had taken up an offer from Sasuke to stay at the Uchiha mansion. Seeing as this was an unscheduled trip, there really wasn't money in his budget to stay anywhere but with a friend. He was grateful that Sasuke had presented the opportunity, because the only other offer he had received had been from Naruto's other teammates Sakura and Kakashi. Both of them lived in small apartments and he was leery of the lecherous Kakashi and positively unnerved at the thought of sharing quarters with a young woman that he was not related to. Temari's room had always been completely off limits to him, and still was. To this day he had only witnessed its overly frilly decor three times in his life and hoped that it would remain limited to that number.

Sasuke showed Gaara to the guest room he would be staying in before inviting him to dinner. Gaara, finding himself a bit hungrier than expected, graciously accepted the offer and followed Sasuke downstairs.

“You will have to excuse me, I currently do not employ a cook, only a housekeeper. I have invited Sakura over to help me with the meal,” Sasuke informed Gaara. Sasuke was actually not a bad cook by any means. Living by yourself from a very young age forces one to learn such things, but he was also aware that cooking for a Kazekage (even if it was only Gaara) required more attention that he was capable of by himself.

“Do not trouble yourself Sasuke,” Gaara replied.

“It is already done, Sakura is in the kitchen now. Would you like to join us in the preparations?” Sasuke asked.

Gaara had never seen the inside of his kitchen (let alone knowing what he would do if he ever did enter it), but he was curious and followed Sasuke. Already wonderful smells were wafting about as Sakura sat humming while she peeled potatoes. Sasuke leaned over her shoulder and watched her before asking where he and Gaara could help. “Gaara?” she asked with a stunned expression. “Gaara is going to help?”

Gaara picked up a paring knife from a nearby counter and a potato. He attempted to imitate Sakura's skillful pealing ability, but ended up stabbing it in frustration. He had never been good with kunai, knives, or other melee weaponry; what made him think that he would be good with such things in a kitchen. Sakura watched his frustration and stifled a giggle as she walked up to him to help. She took the half mangled potato from the Kazekage and gave him a new one. Then using a hand over hand technique she showed him how to slice just deep enough to remove the skin but not damage it.

Gaara blushed a bit at her touch, something he was sure that he would never get used to. The feeling of another person had unnerved him in his younger years, but ever since the removal of Shukaku he found that it was a much more enjoyable experience. He managed to squeak out a gruff, “Thank you,” for helping him and was answered with only her warm smile.

“What are we making?” Sasuke asked Sakura.

She wandered over to a range and a couple of pots that were simmering something heavenly. “Yellow potato curry, your favorite Sasuke. I hope you also like it, Gaara.” Gaara nodded. He liked good curry very much, and he was sure that he would enjoy this because the aroma was making him salivate, something that food rarely did to him.

After showing Gaara a few more preparation tricks, Sakura taught him the right balance of spices that went into her famous curry paste. Sasuke smiled at her as she put the extra she had just made with Gaara in an airtight container and placed it in Sasuke's spice cupboard. She was always so thoughtful and he knew he would enjoy using that later in the week after a tough mission or day of training. She was a good teacher too. Perhaps someday she would take over Kakashi-sensei's old position and lead a team of young genin.

Gaara helped Sakura add the last ingredients and they sat around and talked as they waited for the curry to simmer a bit until the potatoes were thoroughly cooked through. When it was finally ready Sakura dished out rice and curry onto plates, Gaara thanked his host and culinary teacher before digging into the best tasting curry he had ever had in his life.

END OF CHAPTER
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A/N's: I'm really liking writing this so far. This may be because it is already completed and just awaiting being posted, but I think it's really cute and funny