Rivals For The Hokage's Love

Kazekage and the Hokage?!

"Naruto!!" Sasuke screamed, racing towards him, but Itachi got there first, catching the bloodied figure in his arms before he could hit the ground.

Blue eyes looked up at him, exhausted and victorious, before they closed, content. Itachi's heart leapt into his throat at the gesture.

"He needs medical attention! Immediately!" The older raven screamed, fear engulfing him.

"Hurry up!" Neji shouted, also getting scared.

"Suna is the closest!" Gaara called over the noise. "And I can fly him there with my sand. Sai, you fly the others over with your ninja scrolls."

Shikamaru swore. Why did this happen to Naruto every time?! Why was he the one who had to go through all that pain and suffering? Simply because he had the Nine Tails sealed in him?!

"Hurry the fuck up, Sai!!" Sasuke screamed at the raven, who looked at him oddly, as he complied.

"Language, little brother," Itachi reproved, but not that he really minded that anyway.

Shisui summoned Kiri , so that they could send a message to the Hidden Leaf about what all that had happened on the battle. The other Kage also quickly sent messages to their nations about the appearance of Momoshiki and Kinshiki Otsutsuki, the monsters Naruto had saved them from, putting his own life on the line for it.

Gaara flew off on his sand, carrying the now unconscious Hokage. Sai and the others followed closely on his heels, on giant ink birds.

"Baki!!" Gaara yelled. "Get Chiyo ba-sama in here quick! We need to save his life, at any cost!"

The commander of the Sunagakure Black OPs ran off at his Kazekage's bidding. Kankurou ran up to his younger brother, concerned.

"Dammit," Gaara muttered, looking at the peaceful, bloodstained face next to him. "You said you wouldn't die until you became Hokage! Does that mean you're going to die immediately after you do? It hasn't even been a year, baka!"

"What happened to him?!" Chiyo shrieked as she caught sight of the bloody group surrounding an even bloodier, blonde haired figure.

"He got messed up from that impact." Shisui said. "We encountered Otsutsuki family members."

"He took the brunt all by himself?" Yura gasped. "That was reckless. He's a Kage and all..."

"If he didn't, we'd all be here in body bags," Shikamaru said, and the captain jonin flinched.

"Shikamaru!" Choji reproached. "Don't just panic. Chiyo ba-sama can heal him, right, ba-sama?"

"Even I don't know. I need to heal his tenketsu, and not just replenish it. This is more of a field where that slug princess or her disciple would be more effective. But I can maintain his life force till they get here," the elderly woman replied.

Everyone sighed in relief. Kiri returned then, so Shisui read out the letter for everyone to hear.

"I have sent Tsunade, Shizune, Sakura, Hinata and Azuma to Sunagakure. We received your message about Otsutsuki family, and we are on standby with every available Shinobi. Return once all of your injuries are catered to. Keep me updated of Naruto's progress as well."

"Damn, when will they get here? No mention of that?!" Ino swore at the brisk letter.

"It takes at least two days to cover even the shortened route," Gaara sighed. "There's nothing much we can do now, except wait. And all of us are injured, we might as well as be treated."

"No point in getting treated when he's in that condition," Sasuke spat, releasing killer intent.

"I never took you to be a person who acted out, Sasuke," Omoi said, looking at him curiously.

"I've got news from A-sama and Bee-sama," Darui called out, gaining all of their attention.

Omoi took the letter and began to read it. "What in hell were you doing when he stepped out to fight alone?! He's the Hokage, and everyone knows he's a knucklehead, so why didn't any of you smartasses stop him?! As for us, Bee and Hachibi are ready to go anytime, so are the rest of the shinobi. Leading me back to my question. Wasn't that Shikaku's brat with you as well? You all created a peaceful world, but that doesn't mean you can forget totally about the war! For now, I've sent those seven chits from the Lightning Group with Karui to back your asses up."

"He'll have my head when I get back," Darui muttered. "Or even choose another Raikage, huh?"

"I can understand that notion," Omoi nodded in understanding. "A-sama is quite impulsive."

"As long as Naruto doesn't die, I don't care anymore," Sasuke scowled, flinching when one of the Suna healers tried to approach him, seeing that he was the most badly injured of them all.

"Sasuke, you've got to stop acting like a little kid," Itachi sighed, dragging him forward gently.

"Let go, Nii-san! I said I'm not interested in that!" Sasuke struggled to break free of the iron grip.

"Ita-Sasu?" Shisui muttered to himself, amused, making Neji and Azuma burst out laughing.

"That would make the headlines," Choji laughed, but everyone quieted as Chiyo looked up.

"Gaara, I'm going to need him in the intensive care," she said softly. The Kazekage nodded, and the attendants began to wheel away the blonde haired figure, while everyone followed.

"I'm sorry," Yura said apologetically, as they stopped at the entrance to the intensive care. "Only one person can go in from here. The others have to wait in the waiting lounge. It's a strict rule."

"I'll go." Everyone turned as the redhead spoke, and at once, a certain Uchiha protested.

"I will." Sasuke and Gaara glared across at each other, killer intent rising from both injured men.

"I'm not sure I made myself clear, Uchiha," Gaara said menacingly. "I said I. Will. Go. Because I'm the Kazekage. Because I owe him my life, literally. Because he's the one who saved me, while a certain someone left him behind. Looking for revenge, instead of what was right next to him. Now if we're clear on that topic, suck it up and go to the waiting lounge. If we aren't clear, I'll deal with you once the team of specialists get here from your village. Now get out of my sight."

Sasuke glared, but Itachi quickly steered him away, while the others followed the seething man. It was lucky that the older Uchiha intervened - the last thing any of them needed now was them to have a falling-out with the Kazekage, who happened to hold a special place in Naruto's heart.

"Please keep an eye on him for a while, Gaara," Chiyo said. "I'll just go and get what we need."

"Sure, Chiyo ba-sama," Gaara said, waiting patiently until the elderly woman left the room.

Only when he was alone with the blonde, using Daisan no Me (Eye of Sand) to make sure that he would know before anyone entered, did the stoic facade of his expression break down.

His eyes softened, as he moved such that their faces were barely inches from each other, before he bravely closed that distance, connecting his lips to the bruised ones below him. He broke away quickly, seeing that Chiyo was soon going to enter, and resumed his emotionless mask.

No one could ever know that the Kazekage was in love with the Hokage.