Flowers for a killer.

Midnight...

Sitting on the couch in peace with his movies turned low in volume, the vessel felt comfortable in his silence. At least he did until midnight had struck and the soft creaking of floor boards could be heard from his place on the couch.

The sound gentle like someone trying to sneak quietly around the apartment. Turning himself upon the couch to view the hallway, Gaara's guard rose as he got off the couch. Placing a bookmark to save his place in the novel. When finally standing he made a quick glance down the hall only to be met with the tired blue eyes of the blond.

"Naruto?"

"Hey..."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothin... Can't sleep."

Moving himself back to the couch, Gaara sat down and let the other join him. He could hear the plain guilty lie in the others voice. It was the same tone his brother used when trying to hide his fears or from his nightmares. Picking up his book he moved it out of the way and sat it on a small table that accompanied the large sofa made for three. His eyes not once however leaving the blond who had now just slumped down with a heavy sigh.

He was worried. Naruto was his friend. His best friend. His first friend. He hated to see the other in such a personal tourmoil, it hurt him to see the Uzumaki suffer and the more he thought about it the more he realised this was no longer just some small insignificant and all too confusing crush. He had more then just a small romantic interest in the wanabe hokage. He was in love with him. If his assumption of what love was, was true howerver.

Deep in his thoughts Gaara was consumed by confusion and a sensation that tickled his chest. He was so caught up infact he rarely noticed the fact that Naruto had passed out once again, this time leaning against him for comfort and a somewhat security from his estranged dream. Arms wrapped around the somewhat smaller frame of the vessel.

"Gaara...."

The name was mumbled through sleep struck lips, dragging the redhead's attention back to reality to realise what he was doing. Noticing how the blond had him in a hold he didn't dare to pry himself out of, Gaara could only sigh and cave to the Uzumaki below him. Leaning into the cushioning embrace of the sofa he calmed himself and his nerves, grabbing the novel to continue reading. It would be a long while before the sun rose but in this position with the one he held highest over others, he didn't mind. The sun could take it's time.

----------------------------------------------------

Dawn. When the sky turns a beautiful golden orange and pink as rosy as a lovers blush.

It took the blond quite a while to wake from his peaceful slumber on the couch, finding himself bundled in blankets and pillows alone.

"Mnh..."

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, his nose would pick up on the delicious scent that slowly filled the luxurious apartment. The clattering of clean dishes soon asaulting the blond's ears, making him shoot up and strain to look over towards the open kitchen to see the redhead he had come to adore, cooking.

"Mornin' Gaara."

Naruto chirped as he made his way off the couch, earning himself a glance from the usually quiet and refined vessel. Walking over he leaned in and smelled what the other was making without stepping too far over the other's personal boundry of space. It looked like a traditional breakfast for the two of them and more obviously healtheir then ramen.

"Morning."

The vessel took his time speaking as he finished cooking. plating the meal he had made for himself and his 'roomate'. Handing the Uzumaki a bowl of rice and his personal half of an omlete, he could only choke on a stiffled laugh as he couldn't help but stare at the blond's obvious bedhead and fabric imprint on the side of his whiskered cheek. If Naruto had slept on an open book Gaara was sure he'd be able to read the entire page on his face alone.

"Are you.... Are you alright?"

Naruto couldn't help but ask, he was so used to the normaly emotionless face of the other that it came as quite a confusing shock when the vessel's cheeks became puffed and slightly rosy pink from trying to so hard to supress the laughter that threatened to burst. After a few moments, Gaara finaly found the strength to nod and calm himself in the face of the other.

"Yes... I'm fine... i just... uhm."

"Your hair..."

Gaara pointed to the Uzumaki's hair, making note of how messy it was and how rediculous it looked forcing the blond to set down his food on the table and make his way to the hallway where the washroom was to look in the mirror. Only to cut the silence in the apartment with a loud bellowing of un - restrainable laughter. Making his way back into the hall to view the sand user he now happily claimed to live with, he fixed his hair and rubbed his face as he sat at the table.

"Geez, i looked like Sasuke!"

Naruto snickered and rubbed his cheek a bit more as he was joined at the table by the redhead. Sure the paler of the two wasn't smiling but Naruto could see he had at least made the vessel laugh if only on the inside.

"Looks like we've got a busy day huh?"

Naruto looked over and made mention to the many many boxes that now littered the apartment. In the spare time Gaara had whilst the Uzumaki slept, he used it wisely to pack his own boxes for the move. Taking all that he would need and leaving the rest. All that was left for the two of them to do now was to retrieve Naruto's belongings and file the final papers for him to complete the move.

"It shouldn't be too much... I don't think Kankuro is busy today."

"Eh? You wanna ask your brother for help? Wait.... Will he help?"

"He will if i pay him... More money means more matirials for his Puppets."

"Huh... Can't argue with that."

Naruto chuckled and dug into his breakfast, the last he had seen any of the other sand siblings was after returning from trying to retrieve Sasuke. Sure he was on better terms with them but conversations where still quite awkward and Naruto was never really sure what to do with himself while standing with the older siblings of his roomate around.

Finishing off his breakfast, Gaara stood to return to the kitchen and wash the dishes. Letting the blond take his time eating.

"Naruto..."