Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ More Than a Pet ❯ Hell ( Chapter 7 )

Naruto yawned as the sun woke him the next morning. He felt something push against his chest and looked down to see Gaara snuggling against his chest to get away from the light. "Morining Gaa-chan."

Gaara sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Morning," he mumbled quietly, his voice thick with sleep. "You" yawn "gotta go to the shop today?"

"Nope," Naruto replied, reaching out and pushing some of the hair out of the red head's face. "I've got a house call today."

"Oh, I'll go fix breakfast then."

Naruto nodded and got up to get dressed as Gaara went downstairs to fix breakfast. He came down and went into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, he poured himself and Gaara some orange juice. Setting the glasses down on the counter, he wrapped his arms around Gaara's waist from behind. "You gonna be all right alone today?" he asked.

Gaara let a small, almost imperceptible sigh escape his lips at the thought that someone actually cared about him. "Of course I will, Naruto. you have had to wrok before. Why would today be any different?"

"Well, I was only wonderin'," Naruto muttered. He turned away and glanced toward the clock. "Shit! I gotta go. Later!" and with that, he shot out the door.

Gaara sighed again. Do you really think anyone cares about you? a snide little voice asked in the back of his mind. After all, the one who said he'd do anything for you left you. "Shut up!" Gaara said, rubbing his temples. Damn, why do I even try though? he thought as he cleaned up the uneaten breakfast and started cleaning the house. It's never worth it.

Naruto stopped by the shop and picked up a map from Sasuke. As he drove to the Akasuna's house, the small voice in the back of his mind sneered, what the hell do you think you're doing? Naruto frowned. What? Obviously, Gaara was still hurting about something, the voice snapped. Sasori wouldn't have minded you being late. Sasuke would've. "Dammit!" Naruto yelled to no one. He really wanted to murder that voice. He pulled into Sasori's driveway and got out. He went up the walk and knocked on the door.

Deidara answered the door. He turned his head towards his shoulder and said, "Danna, he's here!"

"Well, let him in, then."

"Come on." Deidara ushered him into the living room and sat down, motioning for Naruto to do the same.

He did. "Um, Mr. Akasuna?"

"I've told you before, Naruto-kun," Sasori said as he finished painting his nails and put the polish -which Naruto noticed was a sort of green- away. "Call me Sasori."

"R-right," Naruto said. "Anyway, Sasuke said you requested me personally for this house call, why?"

"You purchased Gaara-chan, did you not?" Sasori said.

"Well, yeah," Naruto said. "But what does that have to do with-"

"Did you read his file?"

"Well, no, I..."

Sasori raised one eyebrow in curiousity. "Why not?"

"Well, I-I wanted him to tell me when he was ready to trust me," Naruto explained.

"I see," Sasori replied, nodding. "Dei, get us some drinks."

"Yes, Danna, un," Deidara said before going to the kitchen.

"Now," Sasori said. "I'm going to say this bluntly, Naruto-kun. Gaara-chan's life was hell."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Naruto said.

"There are probably things that happened to him that were kept out of his file," Sasori explained.

"Kept out?" Naruto said indignantly. "But they're not-"

"Calm down, will you?" Sasori said. "I never claimed Yondaime did things by the book."

"Yeah, but-"

"But, nothing," Saori continued. "Yondaime is a bastard and hypocrite, and this is coming from the mouth of his nephew."

"So, what?" Naruto said. "Did you just get me here so that you could rant about the head Sabaku?"

"No, of course I didn't," Sasori snapped. "I got you to come here today because I wanted to talk to you about Gaara-chan."

"What's there to talk about?" Naruto said, mentally cringing at Sasori's random change in mood.

Sasori sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Sorry about snapping like that," he apologized. "It's just, well, Gaara-chan's happiness means a lot to me."

Naruto nodded; he could understand that. "But what's that got to do with me?"

"A lot, actually," Sasori said as he took his drink from Deidara. "Thanks, Dei."

Deidara handed Naruto his drink before sitting on the floor by Sasori and resting his chin on Sasori's knees.

"Like what?" Naruto pressed.

"Well, I'll start with this," Sasori said. "Do you know why I used those pet names when we were completing the transaction for Dei?"

Naruto shook his head.

"I was testing you," Sasori said. "I had to see if you were the right one for Gaara-chan."

Naruto gave Sasori probably the most confused look one person could give another;. "The right one?"

Sasori sighed. Naruto really surpassed the stereo type sometimes. "Yes, Naruto-kun. What Gaara-chan needs most of all is a friend, someone he can trust and someone who can protect him," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto grumbled.

"You'll find out," Sasori said, getting up and starting to leave the room. "Anyway, if you need any help, just call me."

"But I don't even have your number!" Naruto cried indignantly, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Get it from the Uchiha," Sasori called from the other room, refusing to come back.

Naruto sighed. "Whatever. Fine. I'll just be leaving then."

"You do that. Dei, show him out."

"No need," Naruto countered. "I can find it on my own." Storming to his car, he got in and drove off. "Well, damn, that was a waste of time. Stupid tme was right. They are insane."

I'm going to say this bluntly, Naruto-kun. Gaara-chan's life was hell.

The words echoed in Naruto's mind and he slammed his fist on the steering wheel and yelled "What the fuck does that even mean?!"

But, of course, no one answered him.