[ Naruto gets a little more than he bargained for with Gaara's answer. At first he's a little lost, glancing down at the pale hand guiding his own up. There's no protest though, this is Gaara and Naruto's trust in him is absolute and he's more than willing to roll with whatever Gaara is doing here and Gaara's skin is warm, where Naruto's fingers meet it. The contact brings him to a pause though and for a few seconds at least, he's careful not to move. He allows Gaara to guide him.
Those dark circles, they're a prominent feature on his friend's face, as much as the marks on Naruto's own cheeks are and he's always wondered about them. To hear they're from lack of sleep-- Naruto sucks in a quiet breath, his own eyes narrowing, somewhere between shocked and concerned. To survive like that for years, how did Gaara ever keep sane? No, he didn't in some ways, not to start with but he still managed to become Kazekage, still managed to hold himself together.
It's mindboggling and Naruto's fingers ghost over those dark marks as his brows pull down into a frown. There are facets he can understand, like the danger of being taken over, but they still don't measure to what Gaara must have had to go through. Why didn't anyone fix his seal? Why didn't anyone help him? Someone should have helped him. ] I didn't know. To have to live like that with no one helping you...
[ It must have been a living nightmare. Naruto stomps on the tiny ball of anger with a small shake of his head. Not at Gaara but at everyone who ever thought to shove a bijuu inside a Jinchuuriki and then leave them to simply deal with it on their own. ] Shukaku's gone but I think I get it. Maa, I'd be worried too. [ Maybe worried is the wrong word. Paranoid fits better, but he would be. Just because Shukaku is gone doesn't mean the habit is easy to break or that the fear magically disappears. And now Ariel has thrown another wrench in the works. Sexual images. Noise. ] But you can work at it. You know that, right? Take it one step at a time. Let me help you and we'll figure something out. [ Something that allows Gaara snatches of sleep.
And though Gaara has released his hand, Naruto doesn't drop it just yet. The impulse is here, to touch, because he's never really done that before. Never been prompted or really allowed with Gaara, not like this at least. So it seems okay to turn his hand over, drag his knuckles over Gaara's cheek for a few breaths because he means what he says. Gaara's bloodlust isn't bad, and it doesn't frighten Naruto. They're shinobi. They're Jinchuuriki, they're not quite the same are others. It's okay.
They can control this.
And when Gaara leans in, that's okay too, somehow. Though it wouldn't have been just a few short months ago. But Ariel has flipped everything on its head in any case and Gaara is his friend and kind of like a rock, he'll always have Naruto's back and Naruto will help him however he can in return so this... strange as it is, this is okay. Still new. Still a little awkward but Naruto huffs out a breath against Gaara's mouth, allows his hand to drift up, ruffle through that shock of red hair in understanding. You're welcome. ] I'd be okay with that. [ With a smile that can probably be heard more than seen. Maybe okay isn't the right word either. Naruto licks his lips and then brushes them against Gaara's in return, gentle and a little bold. ] No. Truth is, I'd like that.
[ There's a difference between one and the other. And he's not lying. He's pretty sure he'd enjoy it. ] Show me then. Sometime. Whenever you wanna.
[action]
Those dark circles, they're a prominent feature on his friend's face, as much as the marks on Naruto's own cheeks are and he's always wondered about them. To hear they're from lack of sleep-- Naruto sucks in a quiet breath, his own eyes narrowing, somewhere between shocked and concerned. To survive like that for years, how did Gaara ever keep sane? No, he didn't in some ways, not to start with but he still managed to become Kazekage, still managed to hold himself together.
It's mindboggling and Naruto's fingers ghost over those dark marks as his brows pull down into a frown. There are facets he can understand, like the danger of being taken over, but they still don't measure to what Gaara must have had to go through. Why didn't anyone fix his seal? Why didn't anyone help him? Someone should have helped him. ] I didn't know. To have to live like that with no one helping you...
[ It must have been a living nightmare. Naruto stomps on the tiny ball of anger with a small shake of his head. Not at Gaara but at everyone who ever thought to shove a bijuu inside a Jinchuuriki and then leave them to simply deal with it on their own. ] Shukaku's gone but I think I get it. Maa, I'd be worried too. [ Maybe worried is the wrong word. Paranoid fits better, but he would be. Just because Shukaku is gone doesn't mean the habit is easy to break or that the fear magically disappears. And now Ariel has thrown another wrench in the works. Sexual images. Noise. ] But you can work at it. You know that, right? Take it one step at a time. Let me help you and we'll figure something out. [ Something that allows Gaara snatches of sleep.
And though Gaara has released his hand, Naruto doesn't drop it just yet. The impulse is here, to touch, because he's never really done that before. Never been prompted or really allowed with Gaara, not like this at least. So it seems okay to turn his hand over, drag his knuckles over Gaara's cheek for a few breaths because he means what he says. Gaara's bloodlust isn't bad, and it doesn't frighten Naruto. They're shinobi. They're Jinchuuriki, they're not quite the same are others. It's okay.
They can control this.
And when Gaara leans in, that's okay too, somehow. Though it wouldn't have been just a few short months ago. But Ariel has flipped everything on its head in any case and Gaara is his friend and kind of like a rock, he'll always have Naruto's back and Naruto will help him however he can in return so this... strange as it is, this is okay. Still new. Still a little awkward but Naruto huffs out a breath against Gaara's mouth, allows his hand to drift up, ruffle through that shock of red hair in understanding. You're welcome. ] I'd be okay with that. [ With a smile that can probably be heard more than seen. Maybe okay isn't the right word either. Naruto licks his lips and then brushes them against Gaara's in return, gentle and a little bold. ] No. Truth is, I'd like that.
[ There's a difference between one and the other. And he's not lying. He's pretty sure he'd enjoy it. ] Show me then. Sometime. Whenever you wanna.