Reckoning

Previously—

“It occurs to me we still have much to discuss.” The redhead states quietly. Naruto nodded. 

“I know.” 

“Would you like to begin, or shall I?” The alpha offered but the blonde simply shrugged. “To the truth then.” Gaara said quietly. 

“And all of its consequences?” 

Now—

****************

In an Airplane somewhere over the ocean

“Some believe that reckoning is the act of claiming vengeance on others or an archaic term for calculating.” Gaara said carefully. “You promised me a reckoning.” 

“I did.”

“What made you change your mind? Or have you?” 

“I didn’t change my mind. Not really.” Naruto explained. “I wanted to understand you. To see you clearly. Now I do.”

“And?”

“I reckon you and I are in this together.” Naruto said with a half smile. 

“Your reckoning has been decided then.. Your view settled.” The redhead laced his fingers together. “Your judgment?”

“I’m here aren’t I?” Naruto said, arching his brow at the alpha before him. 

“Indeed you are.” Gaara said. 

“You weren’t expecting that were you?”

“No. No I was not.”

“Why?” The blonde asked, turning the tables on the redhead. Gaara sat for a moment quietly thinking. 

“I did not think you would forgive such behavior.” The redhead said before sitting back into his chair as through bracing himself for an onslaught. 

“Which behavior?” Naruto said flatly, practically asking Gaara to acknowledge his action. To take responsibility. 

“I caused others to doubt you, and to doubt yourself.” Gaara began, “I pushed Hinata away from you.” 

“And?” Naruto said abruptly.

“and I took Matsuri away from you,among other things.” The alpha murmured softly. Naruto took a deep breath. 

“I’ve thought about it a lot.” Naruto began. “Thought about you and me and I realized something. Of everyone you supported me the most.” Naruto took a deep breath.  “Kakashi only ever seemed to yell. To demand something from me then get angry when he couldn’t get it. He just showed up in my classroom one day and asked to borrow my imagination and then put me in a cage. You say that it was your fault that they questioned me, and yeah you certainly helped, but he was always questioning me.” Naruto was somewhat shocked but not surprised to find tear racing down his scared cheeks. He thought he knew how much this all hurt. How...abused he felt by Kakashi.“Do you know, before you got involved he once cornered me in the men’s bathroom? He kicked everyone out so he could yell at me in the bathroom like a child.” Naruto breathed out, trying to wipe away the tears on his cheeks. “I never felt like I could voice my opinions with me. The one time I did everyone scattered and he used his alpha scent to demand a submission  out of me before saying i did not just hear that. I was stuck. Trapped. He was my boss, he controlled my paycheck my way of living! Not to mention it was him criticizing my mental state that caused me to start seeing you to begin with.” The blonde explained. 

“Financial control, verbal threats, a complete disregard of your opinions, ignored your accomplishment, criticizes your mental state, humiliated you in front of others….” Gaara pressed his lips into a line. “A pity we have to leave the country. I would have liked to have Kakashi for dinner.” 

“You forgot emotional manipulation.” Naruto added. “When I wanted to quit, he went on a tangent about how if I did it would basically be the same as me helping to kill them.” 

“What about Sakura?” Gaara asked. “Or Hinata?” Naruto let out a forced laugh. 

“Sakura liked to talk the most, always tried to communicate with me but any time we spoke it was always about how unstable I was. It felt like she used her trying to talk things over as a method of control. She refused to even be in the room as me for a long time. I always felt like I was walking on eggshells with her. There were plenty of times I wanted to talk about things but avoided it, because of what she might think of me. She always made me feel more crazy than I was. Even after I got my sickness treated.” Naruto took another deep breath. “As for Hinata, there was never really a relationship there to begin with. She needed a baby and I existed. I was hardly more than a glorified sex toy for her.” 

“I apologize.” Gaara said softly. 

“For what? For them? For you?” 

“Yes.” The alpha said simply. Naruto flashed him a smile. 

“Ya know, that’s one of the reason I love you.” Gaara blinked, as though shocked and Naruto tried to think of why that was. Why he was shocked. 

“This is the first time you have said that to me.” 

“Oh.” The blonde responded. “Well… its true.” 

“Is it?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” 

“For all of the reasons you mentioned above.” Gaara answered. “All of that and more. I am not a good man.” 

“Gaara. I told you. I thought about it, remember? I have plenty of time to do that in prison and all the time after. You have treated me continuously with more respect and care than any of them.” Naruto gave a sigh.

“Tell me how.” He asked. 

“How...you treat me better?” The blonde said confused. Gaara nodded. “Why?”

“It is harder to ignore things spoken aloud. Whatever relationship we have, I want it to be an authentic one. Whatever problems or issues that occurred in the past between us, must be acknowledged in order to move forward.” The redhead stated.  ‘Equality.’ Naruto thought before nodding. Before either one could say anything more the pilot came on over the comm to announce that they would be landing soon. Reality invaded their bubble. Gaara turned to look at the blonde. “We will continue this conversation at home.” 

Home.

The simple world sent a surge of complex feelings racing under his skin like electricity. ‘Home.’ Naruto thought glancing at Kurama who had woke up from where had been dozing on the plane. ‘It’s time to go home.’ The blonde thought trying to control the tangled mess of feelings he had with the word the the plane began its descent from the sky. Gaara stepped out of the aircraft, first already setting to work on the few bags he had packed. Silently the blonde allowed himself to be guided through the foreign airport by Gaara, carrying his own bag and leading a disgruntled Kurama by his leash. 

“Where is home exactly?” Naruto asked, after they exited the airport to climbed into a rented car. Apparently Gaara had called ahead to make arrangements. The people around the were speaking in countless languages and the letters on the signs were strange. The redhead let a smile slip free. 

“Welcome to Florence Italy.” Gaara announced carefullly, watching the blonde for his reaction. A moment of silence stretched between them.

“That explain why I needed my passport.” Naruto said finally as the streets he was more familiar with gave way to cobble and stone. The buildings and house closing in and appearing to almost lean over the streets below. Each blurred building they drove past was ornate, rich with columns and colonnades. Kurama seemed to just as fascinated with the world outside as Naruto was, ears perked up and staring out the window with an intensity that Naruto found funny. Exhaustion began to tug at his sleeve, as the early morning sun began to peek over the roof tops. Hey lag was catching up to him and Naruto was begining not to care if he slept on a couch or in a real bad so long as he could get some sleep soon. If Gaara felt the same, he didn’t show it, merely continuing driving with a calm and focused manner. Gradually the streets grew a little wider, the spaces between the houses a little longer as they left the hustle and bustle of the heart of the city behind them and entered into what Naruto had dubbed rich people neighborhoods. The grandiosity of the driveways, windows and doors all giving the quiet air of old sophistication. It was at one of these houses, that they stopped at. Driving up the long winding length of the villa. First impression was that it was stunning, like something from a movie. The classic and timeless light tan stucco and dark tips of the columns giving way to rounded archways and doors. 

“Home.” Gaara murmured softly, seemingly unwilling to break the magic of the silence that had fallen over them after getting into the car. ‘Home.’ Naruto thought, trying to grasp the word. The world felt surreal, just slightly out of touch or focus but in the peaceful and calming way he had ever felt. Gaara reached for their bags, and walked to the door. Naruto followed suit, leading Kurama and watching as the redhead produced a key from his pocket to unlock the door. The floor was a flawless marbel of some kind, leading up and around the grand stautre of the house. A glass chandelier hung in a recessed circle above them, glinting in the early rays of the sun that escaped the capture of the heavy white curtains. To the side, a grand staircase like something from a Disney fairytale, with a plush black carpet rolled down the stairs perfectly balancing against the white of floor and curved black metal of the railings. “How very modern.” Naruto murmured, his hand trailing the along the top of the rails as he followed Gaara up the stairs and deep inside. “So open and bright. It’s not what I imagined.” 

“Reality seldom aligned with expectations.” Gaara said softly. Naruto simply hummed his agreement. As they traveled the length of the second floor Gaara hesitated at the final door, glancing at the tired blonde before opening the door and setting his bags just inside. Kurama had already wandered off, his nose and curiosity driving him to explore the house as all dogs do. Inside a large and more importantly, comfortable, bed was sitting. Naruto upon seeing that was already stripping down to his boxers eager to climb under the warm and welcome covers. When he was settled and his eyes drooping with sleepy the blonde opened a blearily eye to see Gaara shifting silently next to the door as though trying to decide what to do. 

“Go to sleep.” Naruto practically ordered seeing the alpha glancing at the bed. “There’s plenty of room, and I don’t think either of us are planning to kill each other. Not now. Not after everything.” The redhead nodded lay slowly before he started to reach into his bag, probably to dig for clothes but tiredness had been Naruto snappy. “Forget it just go to sleep.” The alpha stiffened slightly, pausing a moment to process what was being asked of him. Considering it. Finally after a long moment, he too stripped down his boxers and crawled into bed beside Naruto. “Night Gaara.”

“Good night Naruto.” The alpha breathed out. 

*******************

Florence Italy, The Villa

When Naruto awoke it was to see the sun well already across the sky and the spot where Gaara had laid down empty and cold. Blinking away sleep and confusion the blonde slipped free from the covers, got dressed and silently began to walk out in search of his redhead. The moment he left the room the delicious scent of bacon and eggs filled his nose. Muscles relaxing he blearily made his way down the steps to the first floor, tracking the scent to where, presumably, Gaara was cooking breakfast. Or lunch. Or whatever meal it was. His stomach growled and let loose a loud yawn.

“It smells fantastic.” Naruto mumbled, his eyes falling shut to take in the smell as he walked into the kitchen. If he had been more aware he wouldn’t have been taken by surprise. Would have been ready for what greeted his eyes when he opened them. 

“Thanks! Gaara’s been showing me how to cook an omelette the true Italian way.” A feminine voice chimed back. Suddenly Naruto felt like he was choking, and his eyes flashed open as adrenaline shot through like a racehorse through the gate. 

“You-!” Naruto stuttered out unsure of what to say. Gaara took his apron off wordlessly and the kitchen fell into silence. “I thought— but how? Why?” 

“It wouldn’t be home without all family members.” Gaara replied carefully. Stepping forward to bring the blonde into a hug. 

“Welcome home.” She said softly happy to see him, as she joined the two in a hug. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Matsuri.” 

End of Book Two