Naruto nodded, grinning. "Yeah, I guess you could call it interesting. Although at the time it seemed more like torture." He said with a chuckle. "Ero-sannin is super tough when he's not drooling all over girls. So, Kitty-chan, what about you? Can you tell me about your training, or is it secret?" He asked.

Gemini blushed a little. She would never get used to being addressed so formally. She smiled up at Gaara. "Yes we are, thank you." She answered.

Yugito thought about her training over the three years that they were apart and shuddered lightly at some of the memories. "They aren't as exciting or adventurous as yours are Foxy-kun. Mostly I was taught how to lead the Nekomata clan once Mata-chan 'dies' after all of her youki is transferred to me though the seal." Yugito responded honestly before digging through all of the lessons that were imparted onto her and Blaze. "Though you might see Blaze-chan from time to time since she'll be asking for my opinion on stuff," she added.

"Then please, follow me" the hostess said before leading the couple to a booth next to the window. Outside one could see the rare beautiful fauna that surrounded the restaurant. "Your server will be with you shortly," she said before leaving the two with menus.

"Oh." Naruto shrugged. "So nothing you learned was cool or exciting at all? Huh. Oh well, I'll just have to show you three years worth of cool and exciting things!" He rebounded from his disappointment with a huge smile and a thumbs-up.

Gemini sat down, taking in the view. "It always amazes me, how pretty it all is. How the most beautiful things grow in the harshest environments." She looked back at him. "Kind of like you."

"Nope, not at all." she replied before laughing at how upbeat he turned and how quickly. It seemed like there was nothing that could get her boyfriend down for long it seemed

Gaara blushed lightly at the kind words. "Thank you. Though I don't think I'd be this way if it weren't for both you and Naruto. Without that...I would have never been able to become the Kazekage or met our Sword teachers," Gaara replied.

With that said, Naruto finished up his food. He was about to suggest something else they could do when Sakura appeared.

"Naruto! I heard you were back, so I came to find you." Sakura said, happy to see her friend again.

"We just gave you a nudge in the right direction. You're the one who did the work. You've come such a long way in a short time. I'm really proud of you, you know." Gemini told him earnestly.

(Also I found out your Shadow Falls RP, I have to admit it's pretty interesting. So I'll be lurking on that...and will definitely have to read the books about it now)

Yugito was glad to see that Sakura had grown during the three years they had been apart and could sense that the young woman had matured in more ways than one. "Just Foxy-kun, Sakura-chan? I'm hurt," Yugito teased, though she knew that Sakura would have a hard time recognizing her since she looked so different from three years ago.

Gaara blushed lightly at that. "Thank you" he said, saved from saying anything more as their waiter came to them to take their orders.

((lol really? Thanks! The series is super interesting, Wolfie highly recommends it.))

Sakura blinked, trying to place the strangely familiar blonde sitting next to Naruto. Suddenly, it clicked. "Yugito-chan? Is that you? Oh my gosh I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you!" She gave the other girl a quick hug of greeting.

Gemini smiled a bit, knowing Gaara could only take so many compliments before he got embarrassed. She loved to compliment him and watch him blush, he was so cute. Still, she knew when to stop, and diverted her attention to ordering something.

(I'll keep it in mind)

Yugito laughed as she returned the hug. "It's alright Sakura-chan, we have been gone three years after all," she replied with a grin before starting to eat the ramen that came out, silently glad that Blaze-chan couldn't see her like this. Though she knew Matatabi wouldn't care, she wasn't sure about the purple furred cat.

Gaara ordered quickly as well, glad that the waiter came when he did...even though he was use to getting compliments by Gemini, it was still weird receiving them.

Sakura moved to sit down so she could talk to them. "So what have you both been up to? I mean, I know training, but I want details. Did you go anywhere interesting? Meet new people? What kind of stuff did you learn?" She asked.

Naturally, Naruto was all too happy to answer all of these questions, but he held back. "You can go first, Yugito-chan." He said, feeling that he had monopolized the conversation enough already.

Once the food had been ordered and the waiter had gone, Gemini fell into silence. She loved spending time with Gaara, but it seemed like they never talked much. Not that she minded- she wouldn't ever force him to talk, knowing he didn't like to that much- plus there didn't seem to be a need for words. Comfortable silence was enough, usually.

"As I told Foxy-kun, not much happened. I learned a little bit of the nekomata fighting style and a few specialized jutsus, but most of my time was getting me ready to take over Matatabi's role as leader of the Nekomatas. So much etiquette drilling..." she replied before shuddering at the last part. "Though it wasn't all bad. My servant/friend, Blaze-chan is very nice just don't get her angry..." Yugito added. Speaking of which, where was she? She said that she would summon herself to her location...

After the waiter had taken their orders, a soft silence fell between the two of them. While he knew that Gemini liked talking to him, he also knew that she respected his privacy. Still though...would it be a good idea to try? "Gem-chan...have we ever tried getting to know each other on a better hand? he asked softly.

As always, Sakura listened intently, absorbing any information she could. "That's amazing, though! I would love to learn more about the training and culture involved. Do the nekomata have a different lifestyle, different beliefs?" She asked.

Gemini perked up slightly at hearing Gaara speak. She tilted her head. "What do you mean, Gaa-kun?" She asked, unsure what exactly he was trying to ask.

"They do actually," Yugito said before telling Sakura all that she could remember about what she saw and overheard over the three years. "I'm sure my friend Blaze-chan could tell you more than me though" she added.

"Well um..." he started saying, not entirely sure how to word what he wanted to do. "Well, I only really know a little about you, even though we've been together for a few years now," he added, hoping that she could infer as to what he wanted to do while they were waiting for the food to arrive.

"That's really amazing." Sakura said excitedly. "I would love to meet this friend of yours." Then, noticing that Naruto seemed to pout every time this Blaze was mentioned, she decided to shift topics. "I've been pretty busy over the last few years, myself."

Naruto perked up, glad for the change of subject. "Really? What have you been doing, Sakura-chan?"

Gemini tilted her head, one ear twitching slightly. "I don't understand. I've told you everything about me. What else do you want to know? I'll answer any questions you have." She offered.

Yugito shook her head lightly and giggled at how jealous Naruto was getting of her whenever Blaze was mentioned. She made a light note to tell her about that whenever she showed up. However, she was glad when Sakura changed the subject, curious as to what the young woman she befriended had been up to.

Gaara ran a hand through his hair, scratching the back of his neck lightly."Sorry...I was just trying to create some small talk. Guess I'm still not good at that," he commented.

"Well, I've been training under Tsunade-sama, and I've gotten a lot stronger! I can even hold my own in a fight now. And I've learned a lot of medical ninjutsu!" Sakura went on to explain her training and what she had learned- making sure to throw in a bit of bragging that she got to be Ino's teacher, as well.

"Oh." Gemini's tail flicked slowly. "Well, that's okay. You've never been much of a talker- it's just part of who you are. I think it's attractive. You've got the whole strong but silent thing going on." She smiled at him. "But if you want to talk, I'm sure we can think of something."

"That's actually pretty good to hear," Yugito said with a light laugh. "And I bet you had fun lording the fact over that Ino-chan had to call you 'Sakura-senpai' didn't you?" she teasingly asked.

"I actually would like to talk about something, just so that we don't grow bored waiting for our food," he admitted.

Sakura smiled proudly. "Even better than that. She has to call me Sensei!" She bragged.

"Okay." Gemini nodded. "What do you want to talk about, then?"

"Just make sure it doesn't go to your head Sakura-chan" Yugito commented

"I'm not entirely sure birthday girl," he responded honestly.

Sakura blushed slightly and rubbed the back of her head. "What? Oh, of course not! I would never do that!" She said nervously.

"Hm." Gemini thought hard. "Well...we could talk about our relationship." She suggested tentatively. "Actually, there is something in that department I've been wanting to clear up..."

Yugito just shook her head at that as their ramen came to them. She had a feeling that the old man didn't want to interrupt them and let them talk.

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked, a little nervously.

Naruto, of course, dug in happily, everything else completely lost on him as he focused on his favorite food.

"I've been...curious, I suppose, for a while now. About you and Matsuri. I know she's your student, but it's very clear that she has feelings for you...and I need to know if you return those feelings." Gemini said, as if she were afraid of the answer.

Yugito shook her head as she watched her boyfriend eat before both she and Sakura started eating as well.

Gaara was glad that it was only that that Gemini was worried about. "I know she has had feelings for me for some time now, but I didn't want to do anything about it. I didn't want to break her heart but I don't have any feelings for her above friendship and apprenticeship. That's all," he answered truthfully.

Naruto finished his meal quickly. "Once we're done here, we should go report to old lady Tsunade. She'll want to know that we're back."

Gemini gave a tiny sigh of relief. "Thank goodness." She said quietly. "I couldn't handle...I mean, if you ever had feelings for someone else, I wouldn't keep you from them. But I won't share you. I was just worried...losing you would hurt too much."

"Probably a good idea," Yugito said before finishing her meal. "And hopefully by the time we get back to our apartment Blaze will be there. She said that she was coming..."

"You don't have to worry about that. I may care for her in the way that a teacher cares for his student, but that's all it will be. I was actually going to tell her this tomorrow so that she doesn't feel like she's being led on," he said, remembering what Temari said when he had come to her for advice on this.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I'd actually like to meet Blaze." He said.

"That's probably a good idea." Gemini agreed. She liked Matsuri well enough, and didn't want to see the girl hurt. She just didn't want to share her boyfriend with her.