"Calista." A whoosh of sand and a husky voice greeted me from my left. I immediately put down the fruit in the bowl I was mashing and jumped up. I pulled my long white hair back so I could see the man's face, though I already recognized it from the voice. It was the only voice I had heard for nearly 7 years after all.

I looked up at my best friend with a large grin. "Gaara! I thought you wouldn't come today! Kiyo missed you so bad! I didn't though because I knew you would come! Kiyo just doesn't have faith in you but I do!" I rambled about obnoxiously, poking my tongue out at the white wolf cub on the ground that was wagging happily. I wanted to hug Gaara, but his sand never let me that close.

Gaara's lips twitched but he didn't smile. It made me sad. He never smiled anymore. He used to when we were five... But now at age thirteen, he never did. He was changing. I had felt something was wrong before… but this was beyond that. The deathly look in his eyes even was what scared me the most. I was never afraid of him, but I was afraid of losing him.

"C'mon! Let's eat! I made some bread and then I was mashing up some fruit to go with it! Oh wait actually! Here, I will go in and get the bread and then you can mash up the fruit for me ok? It's so lovely out that we can eat out here! It will be like playing house and you can be the mom and I will be the dad!" I grinned widely, not caring that I had gotten it mixed up.

I walked inside of the house and instantly my smile fell. I put my hands in my head. I was worried I was annoying him. I talked so much after all. I didn't know what I would do if I couldn't talk. I sighed, no; Gaara was my best friend, my only friend. Sure, he was busy preparing for the chunnin exams with his teammates that were to take place in less than half a year. He was to travel down in 3 months and then be gone for about three. I didn't want him to go. I wanted him to stay with me.

But this was the way of life. I hadn't even seen any other living being besides Gaara. I lived in this old abandoned cottage on the outskirts of Suna. Nobody knows about me. Gaara discovered me when he was younger; he is the only one who was ever able to sense me. That's just how strong he is. I am glad that the hidden village didn't know about me; I knew that they would kill me if they did. My last village tried after all, or so Gaara told me. Ninja were evil, all of them. Except for Gaara though. Gaara was the nicest one Alive. I would gladly give him my life and I was sure he would do the same. I wanted to believe that anyways.

I smiled and picked up the bread and a small kunai Gaara had given me to cut it with. "Did you get that fruit smashed Gaara?" I asked with a big smile, walking out. He nodded his head.

I sat down and slowly started cutting the bread. Gaara was looking at me like he sometimes did his eyes boring into me. It made me blush and also broke my concentration. I slipped and cut my finger. It was a small cut, but it bled something terrible. I reached to stick it in my mouth but gaara grabbed it. I stared at him quizzically as he lifted it up and stuck it in his mouth.

Being touched by Gaara was rare, Touching Gaara was nonexistent. This was why it made every time we came in contact more special to me. I held it in my memory. I blushed slightly, turning my pale green eyes away. He let go and the bleeding had stopped. I smiled sheepishly and handed him a piece of bread for him to put some of the fruit on. I did the same.

"How is your training going?" Gaara spoke, breaking the silence.

I was always eager for him to talk-as it was rare-so when he asked a question I jumped at the chance to answer it. "Good! I learned a new Technique! It took me a while but I got it down. You know how you have your sand armor? Well, I wanted to try something like that so I went to the river and well… I didn't tell you but I have been working on I for nearly a month. I finally got it though! You should check it out later!"

"Like my sand Armor?" He asked.

"Yeah! Only this is using water. Later on I want to try it with ice but I'm not yet experienced enough. I thought that since our abilities are so alike then I might be able to do it too! It doesn't come as natural as yours though, 'cause I had to learn it and all. It's also pretty underdeveloped but… I like it. This way when you leave I can fight and it will be like I have a piece of you there with me!" I grinned.

It took him a long moment of silence before he spoke "Your chakra is immense, it makes sense that you should be able to do that."

Silence engulfed us as we continued to eat. It was a sign of good friends when you could sit in silence and not feel uncomfortable. Just feel like everything is right. He reached out and pulled me against him, letting me lean against his chest. I knew I was lucky. Two touches in one day.

Once we were done he gave the crumbs to Kiyo. I smiled at his kindness. It showed that there was still some of the old Gaara left. Whenever he came he had that look of death in his eyes, but by the end of the visit he would be back to the gaara I loved, smiling slightly and talking to me.

Oh yes, did I forget to mention? I, Calista no last name, loved Gaara of the dessert, the one who carries a demon and could kill me with the twitch of his hand.