Embers of a Burning Sky

Chapter Twelve

Naruto awakens to the sound of water running. The broken window has been covered by wood, leaving the room dark and the smell of Gaara's soap wafts from the bathroom, somehow a comfort as the pangs of healing skin bring him further into conscience. Beside him, the sound of heavy breathing indicates that Nara is asleep, thankfully sleeping soundly in the dark. He raises himself off the bed slowly, wincing as his skin pulled against half-healed burns. The feeling of waking up alone is somehow unfamiliar now, with the routine of sleeping together becoming a part of his daily life.
This little family becoming his daily life.

He glances toward the bathroom, listening as Gaara walks; his feet slapping against the wet floor make him smile. Somehow, just knowing that Gaara is nearby makes him feel at ease. With a frown, he realizes that this feeling was what he had craved from Sakura-- his childhood crush, his near-obsession with her, and how that had changed. How in the past, he'd imagined this life with her.
That thought isn't appealing anymore.
He shivers uncomfortably, picturing her sleeping with him, in the same bed...
He wouldn't be safe.

He sighs, turning to watch Nara sleep soundly in the crib next to the bed. He loves this kid, even if he didn't actually take part in creating it. It didn't change the way he loved him-- how much he loved them, really. His son and now Gaara, he comes to realize; reaching forward to pet the bright red locks atop the baby's head. He feels his chest clench as he remembers the look of torment on Gaara's face as he chased down the ninja who had taken their son. The agony, the fear...
He felt at fault.

After Gaara had protected him, after he had shielded him from the genjitsu, Naruto had let his temper get in the way.
He had broken Gaara's defense and rushed in without a plan.
He had gotten caught up in the same Genjitsu from the village...
He feels stupid.

The sound of the shower shutting off and the heavy lid being removed from the ofuro filters through the cracked door, distracting him enough to pull him from his thoughts.
Naruto moves toward it, pushing it open slowly with a soft knock.

"Gaara?" he calls softly, peeking in without permission. A soft sigh is his only response and Naruto decides to take it as permission to enter the room fully. Shuffling inside, he seats himself down on the shower stool and brings his eyes up to make contact with the older ninja.
Reclined in the bath, pale as snow, Gaara only took up a fraction of the large space. He looked small and young as he swished his hands lazily under the surface of the water in a slow pattern. He says nothing, and Naruto decides to break the silence as he stands, pulling his arms above his head and popping his shoulders.
A crooked smirk splits his face.
"Want some company? I think I could use a bath as well."

Gaara's eyes flick up to Naruto's, and he nods, shifting in the bath as if he needed to make room for the other beside him. Naruto genuinely smiles at the gesture as he pulls his shirt up over his head, the rest of his clothes following, each piled sloppily in the corner of the room. Smile still in place, Naruto fills a bucket with warm water, pouring it over his head. Without thought, he lathers his hands with Gaara's soap, washes, then fills the bucket again to rinse. Deeming himself clean, he climbs haphazardly into the bath alongside Gaara.
Upon sinking below the surface, the tension of the water breaks and water splashes out over the sides of the bath, splashing over Gaara's face as well. The look of blank surprise on the redhead's face makes Naruto laugh, and the larger boy flails over to sling his arm around Gaara's thin shoulders.
"That's a funny face," he teases.

* * *

Gaara is not amused, instead, he is focused solely on the contact between Naruto's arms and his shoulders, the way his thigh brushes against Naruto's larger, more muscular one under the water. He pulls his legs together without thinking, eyes trained on the point of contact; hip to hip.
Naruto doesn't seem to notice, but he does loosen his grip on his shoulders and retreat to his own spot. Resting beside Gaara in the bend of a corner, the blonde reclines back and pulls one hand up out of the water, inspecting his arm as small remains of chakra burns seem to pull themselves together and heal. They spend a moment in silence, each thinking their own thoughts, but the peace is ruined as Gaara flinches bodily, splashing in the water.

Eyes wide, he looks down at his feet in the water, entangled with the tan ones of his bath-mate. Gaara has become aware, from their last bathing adventure, that his skin is more sensitive than most. The feeling of the larger feet pressing gently against his own had startled him, but as Naruto captured one pale leg between his own, Gaara could feel a heat burning at the tips of his ears. Budding hair rubbed against his hairless calves as his legs are shifted. Too confused to protest, Gaara allows his leg to rest innocently atop Naruto's.

"Gaara,"
It's a soft murmur in the dim light, and Gaara turns to see Naruto staring intently at the ceiling. After a moment, they make eye contact and Naruto speaks again;
"That ninja today, you..."
Gaara's body tenses, the memory of his loss of control, after so long. He feels so disappointed in himself. Like he's taken ten steps backward, as though he's gone back to the way he was when he was a child. His only feelings being bloodlust and fear; a being with no love. No bonds...
The rough hand that comes to rest on above his knee pulls him from his thoughts and he snaps back to the conversation.
"You understood the danger, the genjitsu-- you knew and you tried to protect me..."
Naruto's hand clenches in the water, catching Gaara's flesh and making him jump.

Naruto flashes him an apologetic look;

"I... I'm sorry, I charged in without thinking and exposed myself to the sound. The bell, it made me see things, and... I lost control." He admits, his grip still tight on soft flesh. The heat in Gaara's ears remains, but he's too distracted to care.
"What do you mean?" he asks.
"You... you knew about the genjitsu, you warned me, but I still... I still put you in danger, Gaara."
Naruto admits,
"Besides, the only weakness you had was when I broke your barrier, and that could have gotten you hurt."

The downcast blue eyes seemed to tear up in the steam from the ofuro and suddenly, Gaara understood. Naruto blamed himself for the reversion, for his bloodlust. Small hands grip Naruto's shoulders tightly as Gaara maneuvers himself to stand in front of the other shinobi.
"Naruto, it's not your fault. You were targeted, that was the whole purpose of the attack"
his pause only brings more attentiveness to the blue eyes;
"Naruto, I was afraid. Afraid that they had hurt you, and it made me angry, it made me feel... weak"

Gaara can't maintain eye contact any longer, his eyes dropping down to stare at the ripples in the water. He feels inadequate, stripped bare, as though his armor is no longer effective. He expects disgust, like so many times before. The rejection of his emotions, his feelings; the invalidation of his fears-- but none of it comes. Instead, there was a splash and the secure feeling of arms wrapping themselves around him.
Gaara's head snaps up; arms raised in the air, surprised. The gentlest of squeezes brings Gaara to place his hands against his solid back. He can see his hands, such contrast between the colors of skin. The feeling of Naruto's wet hair against his neck is cold, but the face against his collarbone is warm, soft. He breathes a sigh of relief, tension seeping from his tired body.

"I guess we both made mistakes," Naruto says, letting him go. They both return to their soaking, still sitting close; skin touching from hip to knee, Naruto's hand draped lazily behind Gaara's head as they dissolve into a comfortable conversation about what to do tomorrow.

(Edited 08-31-2021 by HanayuK)