The days passed by, the blonde having a regular routine of going to school, getting dirty looks and remarks by the others, hiding his friendship with Gaara from others and even from Sasuke. It was difficult, trying to maintain a bond with another person but not being able to reveal it to anyone. The last thing Naruto wanted was for Gaara to be hated by others for associating with him.

It was lunch time and the pair sat together on the rooftop, just idly chatting about topics and getting to know more about each other. As they talked, the blonde saw a group of boys walking towards another group of students. They greeted each other, slapping each other on the backs while giving hugs and high-fives and seeing that scene...

Made Naruto's heart hurt.

It made him realise how pathetic his life is. Always needing to hide his friendships, his feelings and drown himself in his own sadness. Throughout his life, he was alone, hated and ignored. He was betrayed and abused. He cried more tears than anyone ever should.

'I wish things were different.' Naruto thought as he sighed sadly.

Gaara hearing the sad sigh, turned towards the blonde.

"What's wrong?" The red-head asked.

"Huh? Oh... It's nothing." Naruto answered.

'At least I have one friend who is willing to hang out with me. Even if it's in secret.' Naruto thought. He turned towards the red-head and smiled in sincerity. Gaara raised one non-existent eyebrow.

"What's wrong?" Gaara asked again, not falling for Naruto's smiles.

Naruto's blue eyes widened in surprise. Sighing again and turning to face the group of friends he was watching previously.

"I was just wishing if things could be different you know? Where I can openly be friends with you without anyone judging us." The blonde said softly. Gaara nodded in response.

"I don't give two shits about what others think but I know it would make you uncomfortable." The red-head said back.

"What? No it wouldn't!" Naruto retorted back.

Gaara looked at the blonde, deep into his blue eyes. That stare the pale boy would give, made Naruto's resolve crumble every time.

"Stop doing that Gaara!" Naruto pouted childishly. Said red-head smirked and looked back with innocent eyes.

"Doing what?" He asked, in obvious and fake innocence. Naruto fumed and turned his head away from the smirking boy but a few seconds later he began laughing. Gaara smiled a little, seeing that his friend was happier and laughed a little, along side him. After the laughter died down, the boys sat together in silence, soaking in the peacefulness of the afternoon.

"We don't need to hide you know? I can protect myself and you." Gaara's deep voice sliced through the silence. Naruto thumped his head back onto the wall he was leaning on.

"What about Kiba and his gang?" The blonde asked softly.

"What about them? I'll make sure Kiba doesn't get his hands on you." Gaara answered back. Naruto grinned and looked up at the blue skies.

"Thanks, Gaara." Naruto whispered.

Gaara just smiled in response.

'Where the fuck is Gaara!?' Kiba thought as he walked through the hallways. It was the lunch period which meant that him and the red-head would walk around school to fine the blonde loser and beat the fuck out of him. Recently though, they have been drifting apart. Their conversations were shorter, they hanged out less and mostly their gang has been breaking apart.

'It all really started when Sasuke began going soft on him.' Kiba thought, realising all the obvious signs the raven has been showing towards Naruto. How he would stare at him from the back of the class to the way he would prevent the brunette from hurting Naruto. How Sasuke's face would smile serenely while he looked at the blonde and how his eyes would soften when the blonde's name was even mentioned. The way he looked so heart-wrenchingly guilty whenever he hurt the said-blonde.

Halting suddenly, the brunette's thoughts came to one sudden and hasty conclusion.

'Does he love that loser?'

The brunette's legs took off towards the last place he didn't search around the school.

The rooftop.

Heavy footsteps made their way up the flights of stairs as Kiba ran towards the rooftop. Wrenching open the door, he saw...

Nothing.

No one was there.

Kiba growled in frustration.

'Where the fuck is that dick-head?' He angrily thought, mentally cursing Gaara for hiding. Sighing in tiredness, he began to walk towards the door, when his eyes caught on something. There, just lying on the ground was a ring that Kiba immediately recognised as Gaara's.

'Huh? So he was here?' Kiba thought to himself as he walked towards the glittering ring and picked it up. He pocketed it, intending to return it to the red-head. As he straightened up, he heard a muffled voice through the door and in an instant it opened to reveal the person he was finding all this time.

"Kiba? What are you doing here?" Gaara asked in confusion.

"Well, I do study in the same school as you. Didn't know I was banned from coming here." The brunette sarcastically answered.

"Dogs a prohibited from entering school property. Period." Gaara snidely said back, smirking at his words.

"Real cute, freak." Kiba said back. Gaara ignored the dog-boy and began looking at the ground, obviously trying to find something. Kiba's hand snaked into his pocket and got hold of the ring.

"Oi, Gaara." Kiba called, as he out-stretched his palm to show the shining object. Gaara looked towards Kiba and walked towards him, outstretching his hand to get it but before he could, Kiba closed his palm into a fist and smirked.

"Fuck your games Kiba. Give it back." Gaara threateningly said.

"Hmm... No. First you're going to answer some questions." Kiba teased, getting a rise out of Gaara's frustration.

'Karma's a bitch huh?' The brunette internally laughed.

Gaara growled angrily. "Fine. Ask whatever the fuck you want?"

"So... Why have you been avoiding me huh?"

Gaara just rolled his eyes. "If you want my attention, just ask. Now give me back my ring." Gaara boredly said.

"I said QUESTIONS bro, can't you hear? Anyway, numero dos. Are you going soft on that blonde shit? Like Sasuke has?" Kiba's face turned serious.

All Gaara could do was stare at the brunette in slight shock. He didn't think that the dog-lover was observant enough to see the changes in his demeanour towards Naruto.

"None of your buis-"

"Oi Gaara! Found your bling yet?" A blonde blur hurled onto the rooftop and immediately stopped seeing Kiba's shocked face. The last words running through Naruto's mind was...

'Oh shit.'

'