Chapter 5
**************************
Naruto's Apartment, Azure district in Konoha City
'This feel nice.'Gaara thought as hummed, and he relaxed in the bath. 'So many things occurred today, it feels more like a lifetime.' The redhead relished the feeling of hot water soothing and relaxing his muscles. 'Today is the first day I visited Konoha City, meet Shikamaru a friend of the family I hadn't seen a long while, became someone's fake husband and then moved in with him.' Gaara started scrubbing his hair surprised at how relaxed his was despite taking a bath a strangers house. 'Although this is now supposedly my house as well.' Gaara thought, wiping away some of the soap that threatened to get into his eyes. 'This bathtub is rather large. In fact its large enough for both of us.' Gaara thought recalling Naruto earlier joking words
You're not going to take a bath with me?
Gaara took a breath and plunged his head underwater rinsing it completely, partly to help wash away the crazy thoughts that seemed to cloud his head. 'This is absurd.' Gaara thought. 'Yes it's not often one finds a tub large enough for two grown men but that's no excuse.' The redhead thought standing up to get out.
"Hey!" Naruto voice called from the otherside of the door. Gaara blinked as he saw Naruto form through the hazy door and let out a grunt slash half-squeak as he realized that meant the blonde could see the outline of his body as well. The water splashed as Gaara was quick sit back down in embarrassment.
"Why are you squawking? Ya know, you aren't going to seduce me like that." Naruto said from the other side of the door.
"I assure you, I am not attempting to seduce you." Gaara said stiffly.
"Hey, So was that your singing?" Naruto asked. "I could hear it from the living room."
"My apologies." Gaara said quickly, wincing at not having realized how loud he was humming- or singing rather.
"What are you singing? It was kinda catchy."
"The song is called closer, and the artist is Joe Inoue." Gaara replied, still sitting half submerged in the water.
"Joe Inoue?" Naruto questioned.
"A foreign artist." Gaara replied, "although, a YouTuber did a decent job of covering the song."
"Hey, you didn't lie about your age did you?" Naruto questioned and Gaara blinked at the out of the blue topic change.
"No, I did not. May I ask why you thought so?"
"Nothing nevermind. Anyway about the sleeping arrangements for tonight." Naruto continued, "I've only got one bed so first come first serve. Just wanted to let ya know. Take you time washing up." Naruto said as he walked away. 'This means that the room I unpacked in was not guest bedroom- it was his bedroom.' The redhead realized. 'Why is apartment so bland?' Gaara questioned. 'No more importantly- I need to move quickly. I likely won't be able to be him to the bed, so I may have to resort to waking him up and kicking him out of the bed.' He thought as he got out of the tub. 'If There is only one bed it is only polite to offer it to the guest.' Gaara reasoned to himself as he tried to dress rapidly and darted out of the bathroom about ten minutes later.
"Naruto." Gaara said bluntly as he run around the corner only to find the blonde completely passed out on the couch. 'He said first one to the bed gets it, yet he still gave it to me.' The blonde grunted slightly from where he was scrunched up on the bed but was otherwise sleeping as soundly as an overgrown toddler. 'He was teasing me.' Gaara realized trying and failing to glared at the blonde. 'He is fairly attractive when he's asleep.' He thought, and then he hesitated. 'He is going to work, and I still do not have a job. Perhaps it would be better if he slept on the bed.' Remembering how his sister always told him not to call out to people when they were asleep Gaara quietly crept closer.
"Naruto?" He murmured softly. "Naruto?" He said a little louder after not getting any response. Gaara tried calling out to him only once more but the blonde just gave a tired groan, though the redhead thought he saw his mouth twitch for a second. 'I suppose I will have to leave him here.' Gaara crossed his arm, gazing at the sleeping man. 'He's seems to be wild and stubborn even in his sleep and judging from how quickly he fell asleep exhausted as well.' Tired after the long day Gaara retreated to the bedroom and settled in to sleep. 'Starting today this is where I now live, as Naruto's fake husband.' As Gaara stared at the ceiling he wondered if they would be able to pull it off without alerting Kabuto, the vice principal. As he fell asleep, with the image of Naruto sleeping face occasionally popping up in his thoughts, Gaara felt as his worries about the futures swirled around- but also his hopes.