Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Given The Chance ❯ The Morning After ( Chapter 29 )

Chapter #29

The Morning After

 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Co.

 

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It wasn't long before Cassie's breathing slowed to signal she was finally asleep. She'd been fighting sleep for quite some time, she kept muttering something about wanting to stay up with Gaara, and some other stuff that he couldn't make out that probably wouldn't have made sense anyway.

 

Gaara looked around the dimly lit room as he lay completely awake, and he was able to see the thick layers of sand that attached itself to the walls slowly make its way back to his gourd. Gaara hadn't commanded his sand at all that day, and he sure as hell didn't order it to seal the room while he was with Cassie.

 

[I would have thought the reason was obvious,] Shukaku almost sounded like he was bragging, [the sand protects you even if you don't command it to. It also makes sure nothing happens should you try and pass on your … unique blood line.]

 

`You just can't help yourself can you,' Gaara rolled his eyes.

 

[What, did I interrupt something private?]

 

What a situation in which to be sharing a body with a bastard demon.

 

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Kankuro, Temari, and Tenten knocked on the door of the house that morning shortly after breakfast. Fujita was the one to answer the door - cheerfully as usual - and invite the three of them inside out of the cold.

 

“Did the three of you enjoy your New Years?” he asked casually.

 

“Very much, thank you,” Temari smiled, and Tenten nodded in agreement.

 

“I'd enjoy it much more if I didn't have a goddamn headache,” Kankuro grumbled as he walked in and collapsed on the couch.

 

Fujita cocked an eyebrow, “Hangover.”

 

“As much as he doesn't want to admit it, yes he has a hangover,” Temari shook her head at her older brother, and then turned back to Fujita, “Is Cassie-chan awake yet? A bunch of us girls were going to go for one last brunch before we head back to Suna tomorrow, and you have seen Gaara at all since last night? He just up and disappeared after taking Cassie home, and I'm pretty sure he's already late for another meeting with Tsunade-sama.”

 

“Well, Cassie is still asleep upstairs in the spare room, but I haven't seen hide nor hair of Gaara-sama,” Fujita shrugged. “Did you want me to go check and see if Cassie's awake yet?”

 

Tenten shook her head, “Don't worry about it we'll go get her. You know she's the last person I'd expect to sleep in.”

 

The Kunoichi headed up the stairs to the spare room where Cassie was sleeping and knocked on the door, “Hey Cassie, you awake?!”

 

On the other side of the door inside the room Cassie was - or at least had been until she was disturbed - sleeping soundly and blissfully. When the knocking came at her door and Gaara quietly got out of bed she groaned and rolled over in bed. With his added warmth gone she had to pull the blankets tighter around her, still very naked, body.

 

Gaara walked quickly around the room trying to find all the articles of clothing that were scattered around. He managed to find most of it quickly and slip back into them, but he didn't want to take to long searching or else - knowing them - Temari and Tenten would just walk in.

 

“I can't find my shirt,” Gaara growled.

 

A very tired Cassie finally found the strength to get up out of bed and quickly put on one of her long pajama shirts and pants, “Well it can't have gone far.”

 

“I don't have time to look for it, I'm already late for a meeting,” he proceeded to simply buckle the straps for his gourd on without a shirt and head for the window. Though, even Gaara wasn't impervious to the cold, so the metal of the buckles didn't exactly feel pleasant, and neither did the -17 degrees Celsius weather outside the window. Goosebumps plagued his skin the moment the window opened, but as per usual he refused to show it on his face.

 

Cassie gave a disapproving glance and whispered, “You're going to freeze.”

 

The Kazekage responded with a short kiss to silence to protests, and with that he disappeared out the window in a gust of sand.

 

“Are you in a coma or what, Cassie?” Tenten called from the other side of the door.

 

“I'm coming, I'm coming,” Cassie replied with a yawn. On her way to the door she noticed Gaara's black shirt sitting behind the stuff sitting on the dresser. With a small giggle - and imagining Gaara in the snow without a shirt on - she chucked it under the bed.

 

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The late brunch ended up being a little club/coffee shop kind of place. The lighting was cool, there were a few pool tables in the back, and up near the front were circles of black leather chairs where people could sit comfortably while enjoying their drinks (coffee and tea in the morning, alcohol served at night). It was popular with teenagers of Konoha, and one of the few places actually open on New Years Day.

 

“So who has New Years resolutions they wanna share?” asked Tenten between sips of coffee.

 

“I bet Hinata's has something to do with Naruto,” Sakura grinned.

 

Hinata began turning red and pushing her fingers together in an attempt to avoid everyone's eyes. It was pretty obvious by the tiniest of smiles on her lips that Sakura hit the nail on the head.

 

“I think they make an adorable couple,” Cassie commented and gave Hinata a small nudge, “I say go for it. He's clueless, but we all love him for it.”

 

“So then what are you going to be up to this year, Cassie-chan?” teased Temari, “Would it happen to involve my brother?”

 

`You have no idea…' Cassie laughed, “Well kind of, I really want to start training a little more this year, so I won't be so much of a burden. I really let my skills slip since I was a Kunoichi.”

 

Temari shook her head, “You're not a burden. I actually think Gaara enjoys saving you because then he gets you carry you, and he gets plenty of hugs and kisses.”

 

“They're quite the odd pair,” remarked Ino, “I don't think I've ever seen a pair so complete opposite. I mean, Cassie is just so bubbly, and then Gaara is a little … uh, cold I guess you could call it. It's the same thing with Hinata too I think. Hinata is just so shy and timid, and Naruto is - well - Naruto is just Naruto. I guess people like their opposites in this group don't they?”

 

Now Cassie was blushing right along side Hinata. Two dark haired girls staring at their feet and resembling tomatoes, now that was an amusing sight for everyone to behold. The other girls tried their best not to giggle at the pair of them, but it was a hard thing to accomplish.

 

Rubbing the back of her Cassie started laughing too, “Well you know that really cliché saying about being complete when you're with someone you love? You're other half isn't the same as you, it's the piece that's missing, and that piece can be completely different from you. Besides can you really picture yourself with someone that just exactly like you? I think that would be creepy…”

 

All six girls thought for a minute, just imagining meeting their male counterparts, and they all looked slightly disturbed. They all agreed that would be something they would never want to know.

 

Ino poked Cassie in the side, “So what did you and Gaara do last night when he walked you home? Did you make out or just sleep with him?”

 

Tea burst out from Cassie's mouth while she was in mid sip and she began coughing. It took a few minutes of trying to clear the fluid out of her lungs before she could choke out, “Damn, he walks me home and that is the first thing you assume?!”

 

`Ok, maybe she hit the nail on the head there, but that's not the point! The point is that it was the first thing that came to her mind … and she isn't even the one that had to see Kankuro's Hentai all over the coffee table the one time…' Cassie tried her best to look both innocent and stunned at the same time, though she wasn't sure how good a job she was doing. Ino was still giving her an odd look.

 

“That was kind of a joke,” Ino attempted to keep a strait face but just couldn't do it so she ended up with an odd little cracked smirk, “Don't tell me you've never thought about it though.”

 

Cassie picked up one of the little sugar packets and chucked it in Ino's general direction, “Can we change the subject now please? Why the hell are we poking fun at me when I saw each of you flirting shamelessly at the party? I do believe I saw Ino being rather friendly with Chouji while we were there if you want to talk about that. Now that is being in love with your opposite.”

 

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Thank god that the Kazekage robes covered everything and were as thick as nothing else because Gaara was nearly numb by the time he got to the Hokage's tower where he put them for safe keeping.

 

When he arrived Tsunade was fast asleep on a pile of documents - likely from a hangover - and didn't look likely to wake up for quite some time despite the fact that Shizune was scolding her. He'd never known a Kage that needed to be scolded, but then again he'd never known a Kage with a nickname like sucker either. Tsunade was one of a kind alright.

 

“I'm sorry about this Gaara-sama, and you're going to be leaving tomorrow too right?” asked Shizune sheepishly.

 

Gaara nodded, “Yes, we're leaving very early tomorrow.”

 

“Well, just to make sure nothing unfortunate happens like on your way here I'll send some Jounin with you. I think Sakura, and Neji aren't getting any assignments for a little while, I'll call them in for the mission later today.” Shizune informed him.

 

“That will be fine.”

 

 

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This was more or less an `in between' chapter so not much really happened in it, but you'll like the next one that's for sure. Until then continue with all the fantastic reviews and I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible.

 

Lil_Pix

 

I don't have time to reply to reviews today so I will just say a collective thanks to all who did review:

 

Amique, Gaara_Freak, SupersexyPooka, MoonAngel18, Fightingpeonix36, Andriannrod, Hiei81, BakaHanyouRahvin, Dudekiller, Pilar, and Mizz_Sandman

 

Thanks everyone!!