Fading Dream

Chapter 3: Snow like blades

Naruto didn't know why, but suddenly no one talked about him and Gaara anymore. He didn't mind to have some little extra spar from time to time, but he run short on excuses for Gaara. It was one of the redheads odd characteristics that he was even more aggressive every time Naruto told him he had a little fight with someone. Apparently he didn't want to lose his record of the "beat-Naruto-up"-game.

He was about leaving class, when he heard Sakura calling for him. In anticipation he went back, giving the pink-haired girl a questioning look. "I wondered if you want to come along with Sasuke and me, looking for some new clothes in the mall?" she asked with a sweet voice.

Though he wanted to spend more time with Sakura, today wasn't good at all. He wasn't able to tell Gaara beforehand and he knew what would happen the next day if he was not going to the greenhouse now. Running for it, telling him and then going with Sakura was also no option. He would be pissed, shouting insults at him and imprison him by blocking the door with his sand. Naruto didn't know why, but when it came down to him, the redhead was possessive. REALLY possessive. Though he was proud to have awaken some feelings of affection in the redhead, he was glad he wasn't locked up all day and night in the greenhouse by now. It was a wonder he was allowed to take his time for himself when he told him he wouldn't come the next day.

He mused what had to bear Gaaras rage when he did so. Every time Naruto told him he wouldn't be there for the next day, he saw Gaaras mask of casualness slip a bit. The redhead was violent, just as he was supposed to be as a redhead. Naruto had to watch his words or else he had a fist in his face or stomach. Beside this, he also had periodically to bear Gaaras moods.

He chuckled to himself. Even though he had to take so much when he was with Gaara, he enjoyed his time with the kid. No one would understand him and he did not want to explain it - he even wasn't sure himself why liked the redhead so much - but for himself he called him 'friend'.

"Ahhh, sorry Sakura! I've already planned something different," he apologized, wondering if he could make it up with her inviting to a hot chocolate another day, and gave her a look that underlined his sadness about turning her offer down. He took all his resolve and made himself ready to ask her out, when she interrupted his efforts.

"You're going to the greenhouse with the cactuses again …" she noticed more than asking, her voice hollow.

Naruto was slightly surprised and all tension left his body. "Uhm, yeah. How do you know?"

"Everyone knows. Guess why they beat you up two weeks ago," Sakura hissed.

"Wow, calm down! Since then nothing happened anymore!" he tried to soothe his friend slash crush. Why in hell was she so upset?

"But still you have bruises and grazers so often. Don't take me for a fool, Naruto. Do you know why they don't beat you up anymore? Why they don't talk anymore?" - the girl stopped just short enough to let Naruto shake his head - "Because he threatened us to tell everyone he's the only one who's allowed to hurt you!"

Naruto blinked at her. He didn't know much about the redhead. But he knew there must have been more. Gaara didn't know where his injuries came from. Also, why would he tell Sakura to spread his message? He didn't just go to other people and talks to them. Furthermore, yes, he let out his mood on Naruto, but he knew the redhead didn't really want to 'hurt' him. If he wanted to, Naruto would have been already dead. And the last point was, Gaara never talked back without any provocation. Even when someone tried to talk to him, he just ignored them. To bring the redhead to say something was a little wonder for itself.

"Whatever," he growled back at his friend and left the room. He was pissed that she thought he was a kid that wasn't able to take care of itself. Gaara wasn't easy, but he had made his resolve. Who wanted to crack this nut had to accept some hard hits.

He ran for the greenhouse. Gaara was already there, sitting between his favorite cactuses, not reacting at all at the blonds appearance.

Gaara wouldn't react at him at all unless he wasn't more than an hour late. Enjoying the attention the redhead gave him - he stared at the door until Naruto arrived when he was over his usual time - Naruto once provoked his luck and came late five days in a row. His run was halted when on the fifth day some sand was floating around in the greenhouse and welcomed Naruto by tugging him hastily in as soon as he opened the door. Naruto knew by then Gaara was mad about him being late and tried to avoid it from then on. His life was still something Naruto didn't want to lose.

Even worse was it when he didn't show up at all without saying anything, just like he avoided now. His first time doing so was also his last. The day after he didn't come to the greenhouse, Gaara waited for him after his last lesson, throwing 'don't-you-dare-doing-that-ever-again' scowls at him. That day Naruto felt like a pet and wanted to run away, hide himself somewhere and never come back to daylight again, though he was sure Gaara would find and kill him in his rage. For a kid he could be pretty creepy.

How was it even possible for Gaara to wait for him after his last lesson? Had he less lessons than Naruto had? Did he took more lessons than necessary? Or was the redhead able to skip because he was some kind of genius like Sakura or Sasuke? His thoughts were again with his friends and his argument with Sakura.

Still mad he dropped himself beside Gaara. The redhead puckered his non-existent brows and tilted his head. Naruto didn't say anything.

"Talk," Gaara ordered him.

"Am I some pet or what?" he huffed, "Everyone traits me like some puppy today." Naruto continued his rant, glad the redhead didn't answer. He didn't even knew, if Gaara listened to him, but it felt good to let of all the steam without being interrupted.

Eventually Naruto felt sleepy. He couldn't help but yawn. He didn't notice to fell asleep, but when he woke up, sun set long ago. There was no light in the greenhouse, but he could see the outline of Gaara still sitting between the cactuses. To his surprise, his bag was shoved under his head and his jacket was spread over him like a blanket.

…

By the time when all leafs were fallen, Naruto was able to handle most of Gaaras quirks.

First, whatever Naruto tried, on usual terms the redhead was never the first to leave the greenhouse to retire for night. Sometimes he even had the feeling the redhead wasn’t sleeping at all. No wonder, if you asked Naruto, with all the coffee. But he also knew every human has to sleep. Even those with a demon inside them, how he could state after some attempts of staying all night long at the greenhouse.

Second, the redhead didn't answer very much, but he wanted the blond to talk about every little thing. When Naruto didn't start to talk by himself, he ordered him to do so. Seemingly he never heard something about 'asking'.

Third, there were some things Naruto shouldn't talk about. Whenever he said 'kyuubi', Naruto earned a fist in his face. When it was about his scar, the demon inside Gaara or his family, the boy just stood up, went out of the greenhouse and didn't come back till the next day. This also included every ace about his sand.

By now Naruto was sure, Gaaras demon was the cause of the floating sand. The redhead never talked about it, but since it apparently had his own will - sometimes the sand started to move without any noticeable reason and the pained looking child tried to call it back - there was no other explanation.

One of the funny things about Gaara was his fondness for cactuses. In the beginning Naruto thought the redhead choose this greenhouse as his hideout because it was in one of the last corners of the campus, but after some time he noticed that Gaara actually cared about this plants. First they were small, crinkly and grey. Now most of them had a mellow green color and were full of life. As much as you can say this about a plant.

…

Soon the first snow fell.

It was funny to watch the redhead, standing in front of the greenhouse for once, trying to catch the crystals, when Naruto came to the greenhouse that day. "You won't be able to catch them this way," he called for him, a full-hearted smile of joy on his lips.

Gaara spun around, his eyes wide in excitement, his lips parted in exhaustion and his cheeks slightly red by the cold air. Sometimes he was such a freaking cute child! Why did he have to disturb this image by all his freak-outs? "What is that?" he asked, his face back to his usual expressionless mask, though he wasn't able to hide the sparkle in his eyes.

"You've never seen snow before?"

"Snow …" he repeated, then shaking his head, his hair flying through the air.

"Suna was pretty hot, ne? I guess it doesn't snow there. Well, it snows, when it's raining in winter. It's just too cold, so the water freezes in the air," he tried to explain though he wasn't good at it. Gaara nodded slowly, his eyes directed at the sky, watching the slow dance of the flakes.

The next day the redhead sat quivering in the greenhouse when Naruto arrived. He had turned his back to the door as usual and Naruto wondered why the boy was shaking. Though it was cold outside, in the greenhouse it was always warm. He sat down next beside him and looked at his face. The redheads cheeks were nearly as red as his hair. His eyes were glassy and he breathed through his mouth. Just one day after the first snow this boy caught a cold.

"Geez! What are you doing …" Naruto mumbled and lowered his head to the redhead's. "Just want to check your temperature, okay?" he warned him. Gaara gave Naruto a look he wasn't able to understand, but there was no aggression in it. Eventually he rested his forehead against his. "You're burning hot! Damn, why are you still sitting here?! Go to the infirmary!" Naruto  worried.

"No," was the hoarsely spoken answer from Gaara. Naruto knew there was no point in arguing with Gaara. He was a damn thickhead.

"At least take some rest." He tugged the redhead into his lap and placed his head against his shoulder. Rocking him like an infant and caressing his short red locks, which were surprisingly soft, Gaara soon stopped to quiver. Watching him from such a close distance Naruto was able to take in all of his features for the first time. He realized that the redhead had long, dark eyelashes, just like a girl, flawless skin and that the black rim around his eyes wasn't just all make-up. Strange boy. Apparently being even younger than him and yet using make-up.

Not before it was dark outside Naruto cursed himself. He didn't know where Gaaras room was and taking him to his room was out of question. Usually the redhead wouldn't let anyone touch him, it was a miracle that the petite boy rested snug against his chest now, Naruto didn't want to freak him out with waking up in the same bed. He chuckled silently. Though he accepted Gaaras moods willingly, he still clung to his life.

While thinking about his options, Naruto noticed the boy was even lighter and skinnier than the last time he touched him. He remembered to never have seen him eating before. Just drinking coffee. Was he even allowed to drink coffee? Naruto didn't have parents, but he heard Shikamaru complaining - he didn't like the black mixture, so he didn't really understand it - about his mom not allowing him to drink coffee at home often enough. Gaaras family must … He remembered. No one cared about this child.

Make him eat something would be hard. Naruto also didn't eat in the greenhouse, it was an unwritten law to not eat anything there - Gaara placed a well-directed punch in Narutos stomach when he tried -, but at least he went to dinner in the dorms. Gaara didn't, he sat in the greenhouse even hours after dinner time. Not at good at all for a child. Wanted he to stay undersized his whole life?

Wincing at the memory of the result for his last try to bring something to eat to the greenhouse, Naruto decided he had to change something about the eating habits of his little friend.

As it was his only option, Naruto stayed the whole night in the greenhouse with him in his lap, eventually falling asleep. The next morning he was alone.

…



Naruto knew, he would be ill after the stay at the greenhouse, but he didn't thought about the cold staying for two whole weeks. In contrast to him, Gaara was totally fine after the first day. The redhead was back to his usual self, but didn't startle and tense anymore every time Naruto bumped against him accidentally. All in all he seemed more … balanced. As if all he needed was a punching-bag that he could beat up from time to time. He even started to talk back sometimes. His answers were still short, but at least he reacted to Naruto at all. To his utmost surprise, the redhead sometimes even gave a caring look to one of the not so well doing cactuses.

Those last two weeks Naruto didn't stop about thinking how he could bring the redhead to eat something. Then a simple fact hit his mind.

"Gaara …?" he started, not knowing how to propose his idea to the withdrawn child. The redhead didn't react, but he was listening to him now. By now Naruto knew, though Gaara wanted him to speak, he didn't listen always. One of his quirks. Yet, whenever he called the boy by his name, he listened. "You know, in two weeks is Christmas. You planned anything yet?" Naruto mumbled, a bit embarrassed. Why was he blushing now? It wasn't as if he asked the boy beside him to go on a date or anything like that. Thinking about that, he hoped Sakura hadn't ask Sasuke out yet. He had to make his move there soon, too.

The redhead looked at Naruto and shook his head.

"What about we two make our own party then?" Naruto proposed, giving Gaara one of his best smiles. Gaaras head snapped up and he couldn't miss the excited look he had for the fraction of a moment when their eyes met.  Then the redhead averted his eyes to the ground  and looked rather sad.

Though everyone said the boy wasn't showing any emotions at all, Naruto knew better. Yes, he was hard to read. Really hard. But by now he was able to understand at least basic emotions. Sometimes he even had the feeling, everyone exaggerated while trying to share their emotions with the whole world.

"What's up?" Naruto broke himself out of his musings.

"I've never really celebrated Christmas …" the redhead whispered shy, his eyes still fixated on the ground.

"Mh, why not? Don't nearly everyone celebrate Christmas nowadays, regardless of their religion?" Before Naruto knew what he did, he asked Gaara about his family again. He tensed and shut his eyes squeeze in expectation for the hit that would follow, but nothing happened. Witch caution he slowly opened his eyes. Maybe the redhead just wanted to look at his fearful eyes. Sometimes Gaara was a real sadist, despite his young age.

But he didn't. The petite boy just sat there, looking even more fragile than ever before. So talking about his family did hurt him in the end. "No, it's just me. Today I don't care anymore. But when I was small …" Gaara explained with a low voice before trailing off.

Being even smaller than he is? And on top of that a child which don't care about Christmas? Gaara had stopped and Naruto knew he wouldn't say any more. Naruto didn't want to provoke his luck and ask further, when the redhead wanted to talk, he would talk. "Don't worry!" he tried to cheer Gaara up, again sending off one of his best smiles, "You don't have to do anything special at all! Just spend some time with me and eat the cake I'll buy - by the way, is there anything special you like?"

Gaara just shook his head. What a screwed up childhood he must had have.

…

Heading back from the bakery in Konoha, he checked his to-do list in his mind. Sadly Sakura had already made plans with Ino, but he wanted at least to have a nice and well-planned day with Gaara.

Naruto didn't took the opportunity to leave the campus very often. His home was the school and he had no one to visit. The monthly allowance for orphans like him was nearly nonexistent, but he was happy that he didn't need to pay for school due to the orphan-program they run at the green leaf, and still have even at least a little bit money for a few things.

After buying the cake he still had some money and bought a little present for Gaara. Content with himself and the world he returned to his home. Tomorrow was the big day.

…

The note stuck at his door.

'Naruto Uzumaki,

as soon as you're reading this come to the headmasters office.'

He feared some of the pranks he did last year were finally uncovered. But in comparison to what happened it was nothing.

"Naruto, there's someone who wants to care of you. You know, usually once an orphan enters our institution, we stop searching families for them. But since he said, he was a good friend of your father and was able to proof that fact, I think we can make an exception here. He's sad he didn't make note about himself earlier, but it appeared that he didn't know about your whereabouts till now. Anyhow, he's living in another town and wants you to join him there. I also think it will be to your best when you're able to leave Konoha for now. He even prepared everything for you already. You're inscribed at their local school and you have a full furnished room in his house. He awaits you tomorrow at 7 a.m. at the schools gate."

With this words Tsunade-obaasan - how he called her just when she wasn't present, though she didn't hit him as hard as Gaara did, she was still a explosive women - dismissed him.

He looked at the cake that was standing on his table, feeling an unbearable pain rising in his chest.

When he walked to the gate the next morning it started to snow again. He didn't wear a jacket. He wanted to feel the cold bite him. It was as if every snowflake that landed on his skin was cutting a part of him off.