More than a brother┘

Chapter 1

Disclaimer alert: Kishimoto Masashi-sensei originally owns the characters. I'm just here to spice things up for readers like you!

" Sniff! Why do you have to die?"

... a voice of a young boy with red tousled hair and green forest eyes was encountered in a certain room in a village called Konohagakure.

The boy was kneeling; head faced down and covered his face with his pale petite hands. Now, his cries and sobs got louder the moment he took a short glimpse of a boy, about his age, with sunshine hair and sun-kissed skin lying on the cold floor, motionless.

" You lied to me, Naruto! You told me you'd never leave me! Sniff! Hic! You said! hic! sniff! you told me that you'd be at my side! Hic! sniff! Why is this happening to you?" he continued to sob.

" Tch! who told you to sob in front of me?"

" Na- Naruto?"

" Gotcha! You little raccoon face!"

The boy with the sunshine hair stood up, patting his clothes, removing dirt and dust.

" You're such a baby when it comes to games, Gaara! But, what you did back there was awfully cute! Hah! Next time, I'll make you cry even more so that your cheeks will turn red like ripe tomatoes! Ha, ha!" laughed Naruto while pinching his left whiskered cheek.

" Mm! That wasn't funny!"

Naruto did nothing but laugh.

" Don't worry, Gaara! A promise is a promise! What I said to you is remarkably true so, don't worry! Neh?" replied Naruto, now pinching both sides of his whiskered cheeks.

" N!" nodded Gaara with a smile on his face.

" Gaara-sama! It's almost dark! It's time for us to go home!" a voice surfaced from downstairs.

" H- Hai, Yashamaru! Anou... I think I have to go now..." Gaara said with his face down, revealing how crestfallen he is. Naruto saw how sad he is so, he placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling.
" Don't worry, little raccoon face! Yashamaru-san's still gonna visit here together with you and we'll have all the time spending with each other."

" Really?" brightened the sad Gaara.

" Really, really!" smiled Naruto.

" Okay! I'll make sure we can visit here tomorrow noontime so, that we could play earlier!" smiled Gaara while waving goodbye to Naruto.

" Well, see you tomorrow then!" Naruto exclaimed.

" Yashamaru? Can we visit Naruto's home tomorrow at noontime? We promised to play earlier so that we could spend more time with each other!" the red hair asked his uncle with a brightened up face while walking towards a little shack.

" Of course you can, Gaara-sama. But, I can't go there during noontime cause I've got things to buy for us... um... is it okay for you to go on ahead of me?" Yashamaru smiled to his little nephew.

" Really? You mean it?" Gaara exclaimed in a very pleased voice.

" Uh-huh! Just be careful on your way to his apartment." added Yashamaru.

" Sugoi yo! This is the happiest moment of my life! Arigatou, Yashamaru!" Gaara smiled intensely to him while entering their house.

As Gaara entered the main door, Yashamaru's face bent to a serious one and revealing a scornful look.

Since Gaara-sama arrived in this village three years ago and suddenly met this boy Naruto, he can't stop seeing him┘I must destroy this stupid bond they're creating... plus, that blonde freak kid has the nerve to poison Gaara-sama's mind. Oh, Gaara-sama... you'll see the last of this Uzumaki Naruto...

And with those thoughts, he finally decided to go in the house.

Few hours had past...

" Gaara-sama... what's wrong? Something bothering you?"

Yashamaru entered Gaara's room holding a glass of milk.

" Ah, Yashamaru... I'm just wondering that if I could stay in this village awhile longer..." Gaara thought.

CRASH!

" Uh... Yashamaru? What's the matter? Did I say something awful?" questioned the younger nin while looking at him in a concerned way.

This can't be! This can't be happening! Gaara-sama... why are you doing this?

" Oh, gomen neh... my hands were shaky... don't worry! I can clean this up... uh... did you mention about staying awhile longer in Konohagakure?" smiled his uncle while picking up the broken glasses. " Why is that, Gaara-sama?"

" Because, It feels like I'm wanted here... especially when I'm around with Naruto. He especially makes me smile everyday since I came here...'' said the red hair, looking at a window.

" Gaara-sama..."

" Hai, Yashamaru?"

" What about me, Gaara-sama? Am I not like Naruto-kun?"

" Heh, Yashamaru is a family and Naruto is a close friend..." Gaara exclaimed in an innocent voice.

Gaara-sama... why are you doing this? Why? Why? WHY?

" Gaara-sama...' said the older nin in a low voice.

" Doshita, Yashamaru?" replied Gaara, innocently.

Yashamaru suddenly knelt down in front of Gaara in a very sad expression. Gaara wondered.

" Gaara-sama... we can't stay here. We belong in our village. Your father needs you and your other two siblings. Please understand, Gaara-sama..."

" No! I- I don't want to go back! N- Naruto needs me here! I can't leave him here!" exclaimed the sand master, revealing his stunned watery green forest eyes.

" Gaara-sama..." exclaimed Yashamaru while holding Gaara's shoulders. " I know how you feel. Being unwanted in your own village is something unbearable. But, remember this, Gaara-sama, that Yashamaru will always be at your side┘ no matter what... even though you're unwanted, I'll be always there by your side." he added, now embracing his little nephew tightly.

" Yashamaru... " Gaara said in a stunned voice.

" Please, Gaara-sama... please..." pleaded his uncle.

" Yashamaru, please don't be sad." Gaara whispered, embracing back Yashamaru.

" Does that mean you'll come back in our village?" asked the older nin to his nephew.

Gaara didn't answer his question instead giving him a saddened face, then looked away from his uncle's eyes.

" Gomen, Yashamaru... Gomen for hurting you." All was Gaara's reply.

" Gaara-sama..."

" Onegai, I want to be alone..."

Yashamaru didn't have any choice but to leave Gaara in his room who's now sulking.

Gaara-sama... no... Gaara! You can't do this to me! It's- It's that Naruto's fault! If Gaara hadn't found that pestering kid few years ago, he wouldn't be like this! It's your entire fault, Uzumaki Naruto! You'll pay for taking away my Gaara-sama!

-- Late that night --

" Gaara-sama... I'm going out for awhile┘ if you need something in the kitchen, it's in the fridge." whispered Yashamaru on his nephew's door enough for Gaara to hear him.

" Hai..." exclaimed Gaara in a faint voice.

I'll do everything just for Gaara-sama┘ I must make him go back to our village... to the place where he truly belongs! Together with me, my sweet Gaara-sama... no one but me... no one else but me!

-
" ARGH! Making a list is tiresome!"

Uzumaki Naruto is now sitting on his bedroom floor crumpling pieces of papers.

" Sheesh! If I'm gonna make this stupid list for tomorrow, Gaara will lead to boredom! No doubt! Argh! Scratch that idea!" the blonde boy exclaimed in a very irritated tone.

" Huh? It's getting late... I better sleep or Gaara cries again. That cute little raccoon boy... always cry when I joke around." sneered Naruto. "...that cute little... yawn... raccoon faced boy... that Gaara..." he added with a small giggle.

But before he could cuddle his favorite pillow and snuggle on his soft bed, he heard a knock on his apartment door. Upon hearing this unexpected event, he started wondering.

" Now, who could that be at this time of hour?"

He went down his apartment stairs hastily that he almost stumbled down. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Yashamaru looking serious.

" Yashamaru-san, it's awfully late. Did you forget something?" questioned the younger nin.

" Well, Naruto-kun... I do have something that I forget..."

Before Naruto could wonder, a punch was shot at the younger nin's face and blew him away in a very strong force. Naruto groaned in pain, touching his now aching chin gently.

" How dare you stole Gaara-sama away from me, you son of a-"

" Yashamaru-san! What's the meaning of this? What have I done?"

" Don't play dumb with me! It's your entire fault! It's you who's to blame!" said the angered Yashamaru while striking a hard blow on his stomach. " And now, Gaara-sama decided not to go back in our precious village! It's you who's to blame! YOU!" added the older nin striking him another punch on Naruto's whiskered cheek.

" Argh! Yashamaru-san..." said Naruto in a gentle weak voice.

" I'm sorry, but you won't be seeing Gaara-sama tomorrow┘ because your precious life will tragically ends here... right now!" exclaimed the suna nin to the poor stiffened Naruto while slipping a sharp kunai from his side pocket. " Say you're little prayers, Uzumaki Naruto!"

Yashamaru raised his right hand, ready to strike at the sunshine haired boy in front of him. Naruto looked at Yashamaru in a very shaken expression, thinking of what to do... thinking of what will happen to him... thinking that this'll be the end of him and his treasured dream of becoming a great ninja in the near future┘ thinking of not seeing his very close friend Gaara, the only person who made him feel wanted and loved...

... no... no... NO! I won't lose to someone like him! To become a great ninja is to fight! Not fight for yourself but to fight for everything! I won't let him kill me! I won't let him take my dreams and ambitions away! I won't let him!

" AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

" What- What is this- this great chakra?!"

" I WON'T LET YOU!"

What's happening to my body? Why does it feel so hot? So┘ hot┘! It feels like I'm stronger than before? What's happened?

" AAAAAHHHHH! YOU TRY ME NOW, YASHAMARU-SAN!" challenged Naruto to his opponent revealing his eyes that, apparently, changed to scarlet red with thin slits at the center and his whisker-like lines on his cheeks multiplied massively in its place.

Yashamaru perspired for some unexplainable reasons. Maybe, is it because of Naruto's horrifying form he just saw? Or the strong energy that he just emitted? No one really knew.

" Tch! I think this'll be fun... who would of think that you, Uzumaki Naruto, will fight a full-pledge shinobi such as I... let's just see who's going to win this fight..." smirked Yashamaru in a malicious state.

Naruto is now formulating invisible questions in his head... wondering why Yashamaru's attacking him... why Yashamaru's telling him it's all his fault...

" DIE, UZUMAKI NARUTO!"

-
Hokage-sama's office...

" Sir, it's an honor to come into your office. You asked for my presence?" a man with dark hair tied up like a bundled bush and a horizontal scar on his nose exclaimed to an old man wearing a white ceremonial robe that seemed to look like the head of the village.

" Iruka. Good evening to you... I'm so sorry for the sudden summon at this time at night." apologized the old man.

" No worries, Hokage-sama." answered Iruka with great respect. " Anything that you wish to ask from me, Hokage-sama? I can tell it's something important." he added.

" Ah, yes┘ Iruka, I know you've known this certain person... which the fourth Hokage managed to sealed up the demon fox in. The only son of the fourth Hokage... the jinchuuriki..." stated the Hokage calmly.

" The jinchuuriki... you mean, that blonde boy named Uzumaki Naruto? Yes, I do know him..." answered Iruka revealing a very serious expression.

" Ha, ha! Iruka, you're giving me that face again. I know how it hurts. I know you're blaming that damned nine-tailed kitsune for killing your parents but you can't blame the kid. The fourth Hokage did everything to save the village from this devastating monster that's why he sacrificed his own child. Demo, don't blame the child for he is innocent. It's not his fault." smiled the third Hokage.

" Hokage-sama..." replied Iruka in a crestfallen tone.

" Now, what I need you to do is to take care of this Uzumaki Naruto. I'm giving this as a mission and a friendly favor... for the sake of the fourth Hokage." smiled the Hokage to Iruka, intently.

" For the sake of others, I'll do it. When will I start, Hokage-sama?"

" Right now, Iruka-sensei..."

" As you wish, Hokage-sama..."

" He's actually living near that mahogany tree over there, Iruka-sansei." said the third Hokage to the young shinobi while pointing his clammy finger to where the tree can be found.

" Right away, Hokage-sama..."

-
Hokage-sama's right... it's not that kid's fault but that damned monster in him... Oh, mother... father... please help me not to do something stupid when I'm on this mission... I might avenge your death by killing that Naruto... oh, I just pray that everything's gonna be alright... Help me... Guide me...

" AAAAHHH! FIRE! HELP! THERE'S FIRE!"

" Wha-"

Iruka was just meters away from Naruto's apartment building when he heard a female screamed of fire.

" AND THERE'S A BOY INSIDE! WE MUST LET HIM OUT!" added the lady.

" A boy... what!"

The teacher now saw a big patch of dark smoke just above and realized that the fire is near a Mahogany tree.

" I- I know that... NARUTO! NARUTO!" cried Iruka, now running towards the apartment's destroyed opening.

But before he could enter the flaring lair, he saw a man, about the same age as his, stood at the top of one of the houses, staring down at the now almost burned building with eyes of an assassin's. But, before he could identify the person's face, he saw a symbol. A symbol so familiar even a konoha-nin dummy could identify.

"That-That guy! He's from... Sunagakure..."

"Oh... a teacher? A Jounin? Haha... That's a very wonderful sight... Hey you! Are you here to save that annoying fag in that flairing hell pit?" called out the unknown suna-nin.

"What have you done to Naruto? Where is he?"

"Probably you won't see him alive with those arising flames by now." Yashamaru idly said in a sarcastic like tone.