I really shouldn't be starting a new story just yet, especially a NejiGaa, but I can't get enough of the couple. Just a note for those looking forward to an update to The Undefine it is NOT on hiatus, another chapter should be out soon. I am almost done with it.

For those of you who know me, my stories have basically the same thing in them; Abuse, Self Harm, Rape . . . ect. This story is no different, but don't compare it to The Undefine. I'm going to try really hard for them to not mirror each other.

Description : Teenage angst is all too familiar in Gaara's life. The abuse of his past renders him insensitive, burdened, but most of all damaged. Neji doesn't care and constantly tries to force his way into Gaara's anti-social heart. Through every tribulation he's holding scarred hands and slowly picking up the pieces.

Rating : M : Mature Audience only.

[MOA] : Mentions of Abuse; Physical, Mental, & Sexual.

[SH] : Self Harm.

[HO] : Homosexual Themes. Graphic gay relations.

[MV] : Mild Violence.

[MOR] : Mentions of Rape.

[ED] : Eating Disorder; Anorexia.

[MP] : Mild Pedophilia.

[AU] : Underage Alcohol Use.

[FL] : Foul Language.

Disclaimer : This story is strictly fictional and no way intentionally meant to represent or resemble anyone living. I hold full ownership of the plot. I hold no ownership to the characters presented in this story nor the image currently used. This story will have a HAPPY ENDING.

Naruto be mine! No? How disappointing . . .

[ - :: - ]

::-:: Skipping the Introduction ::-::

Yashamaru heard the beeping of Gaara's alarm clock all the way from the kitchen. For the most part he ignored it while he prepared breakfast for both of them. Even so the constant blaring was wearing on his patience until eventually he had enough. After cleaning his hands in the sink he sighed, drying his hands on the dirty white apron around his waist as he made his way around the island and down the hall to the red head's room.

"Gaara." The said boy stayed huddled beneath the thick duvet in his room, ignoring the fact that he was being called. "Gaara, I know you're awake." Yashamaru's voice sounded from the other side of the door, but still Gaara ignored him. "You have insomnia. There's no point in staying in bed when you're awake." He opened the door, frowning and placing his hands on his hips; Gaara still didn't move.

"Gaara . . . " Sighing exasperatedly Yashamaru shook his head. "At least turn off your alarm clock." This time Gaara responded by picking up the digital clock and tossing it at the near by wall. Even as the electronic shattered and shut up on impact and toppled to the floor Gaara stayed beneath the duvet. For a moment Yashamaru didn't know what to say. "Gaara do know how much that cost?" No response. "I can't keep buying you a new one and you're not missing school today. Come to the kitchen and have breakfast with me." As Yashamaru turned in the door way with the handle in his hand Gaara groaned in protest, but Yashamaru wasn't going to have any of that. "Don't make me come back here again." With that he closed the door and headed back to the kitchen.

The small round table beside the kitchenette was soon decorated with two sets of silverware and plates of eggs, bacon, cut fruit, and toast. Just as Yashamaru sat in one of the chairs Gaara came bounding down the hall. Gaara was only two inches shorter than Yashamaru, whom didn't have very much credit to height either, leaving him almost dwarfed beneath his black hoodie.

"Where is your uniform Gaara?" Yashamaru frowned.

"Lost it." He didn't even give Yashamaru a second glance as he headed for the front door.

Yashamaru blinked slightly wide eyed before he caught himself and stood from his seat, hands pressed to the surface of the table. "Gaara!" He shouted and the boy stopped, looking over his shoulder at the older male with a defiant expression. "Don't do this. Come sit down and eat breakfast with me." Yashamaru stared at the boy in a pleading manner.

For a moment Gaara didn't say anything, but he moved to the table, the chain on his dark jeans clinking with his movement. He plopped down heavily in his chair, dropping his messenger bag beside him on the floor. Satisfied, Yashamaru sat down with a smile and began to eat.

Slouched in his seat Gaara picked at the food presented in front of him. Yashamaru tried to ignore it. It wasn't the first time he sat through a tension-filled meal with the boy. It just tugged at his heart and not in the right way. Placing down his fork he frowned to the red head. "Gaara, won't you just eat a little of it?" Gaara looked to Yashamaru before putting a piece of bacon in his mouth and biting at his toast. Yashamaru smiled, reaching and lowering Gaara's hood to stroke at his vibrant read hair.

"I don't see why you insist on hiding your handsome face beneath that hood of your-" He didn't finish as Gaara swatted away his hand gently and sent him a pouted glare. Not a second later Gaara stood, grabbing his bag, tossing it over his shoulder, and heading for the door. Yashamaru didn't have much time to react as the redhead opened the front door. "Gaara wait!"

And the boy did, growling as he turned to glare at his sauntering uncle. "What is it now?" He spoke, annoyed with having to be bothered.

Yashamaru only smiled, standing before the boy and stroking back the bangs over his forehead to place a chaste kiss to the center. "Have a good day at school."

"Ugh." Gaara grunted, rubbing at his forehead as he walked away to the metal staircase without any further reply.

Yashamaru closed the door to his flat, smiling to himself while he went about cleaning the dishes on the table. His eyes softened at Gaara's still full plate, picking it up and heading to the bin to clean it of its contents. "Oh Gaara . . ."

[ - :: - ]

Konoha Academy was only six blocks away from the apartment Yashamaru and Gaara resided in. It was a breeze of a walk for Gaara and he often enjoyed it. It wasn't a quiet walk; the streets had plenty of cars zooming by and the side walk had enough people trotting around on it. Even so it left Gaara some time to clear his head and relax a little. After raising his hood back over his head he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes along with his lighter. He placed the butt of the cigarette in his mouth and lit it up, the school coming up in the horizon.

Despite the short distance Gaara took his sweet time getting to the school. His dark clothing stood out among the forest green, white and red uniforms of the other students. Some of the students crowded around the large Victorian gate and walls of the school while others just passed right on through. Gaara got plenty of looks, but he ignored them as he sat along the curb of the sidewalk.

He took the cigarette from his mouth, blowing out the smoke he had already inhaled. "You're going to catch a teacher's attention smoking out here." A voice said from behind him. Gaara gave a bored look to the person behind him. Haku stood there in a female uniform, hands on his hips as he smiled down to the boy in front of him. Gaara only put his cigarette back in his house mouth and turned to look back at the passing cars and people.

Still Haku smiled and sat himself beside him, leaning back on his hands. Haku was always a feminine boy, if it wasn't his androgynous face and body it was his long hair he always kept pinned up in a messy bun. If there was anyone Gaara could call a friend, which he didn't have very many of, it would be Haku. "You stick out so bad."

Gaara grunted, keeping his eyes forward. "If you're going to pretend to be a girl at least sit like one."

Haku laughed, crossing his legs. "Zabuza ruined the other ones. This one is back from when the dean still thought I was a girl."

Gaara gave Haku a pointed look, raising a non-existent brow. "Would it have made any difference?"

"Probably not." Haku shrugged, standing at the sound of the bell and rushing students, but Gaara stayed where he was. "Not coming to class?" He blinked, looking down at the red head. Gaara only responded by taking his cigarette out his mouth to blow the smoke out again. "Okay. Don't get caught." With that being said Haku left, heading through the large gate to the tall beige building a couple feet behind it.

Not long after Gaara stood from the curb. He shouldn't dwell around or he'd get caught. He hummed, hands in pocket, walking past the gate to head down the street. He changed his mind, he didn't want to go to school.

"And where do you think you're going? Aren't you going to class?" Yet someone had other ideas. Suddenly, Gaara felt himself being tugged back by his hood. Growling and hood falling back the red head turned to look at the male behind him. The male behind him towered in height, wore a bandanna tied around his head, and had a tooth pick sticking from the corner of his mouth.

"I changed my mind." Gaara stared at the male blankly. "I didn't know teachers were allowed to wear bandannas."

"I didn't know students smoked." The male grinned, taking the cigarette from Gaara's mouth and stomping it out on the side walk.

"Bastard!" Gaara scoffed, but the male only laughed.

"That's Genma-Sensei to you." Genma still had his hold on Gaara's hood, but he moved it to the boy's shoulder to lead him back to the school."Come on now. You're already late."

Gaara didn't budge instead he shrugged his shoulders harshly, knocking Genma's hold off him. "Get off and leave me alone!" Just as Gaara started to take off running Genma grabbed him by his wrist.

"Oh no you don't! You can't skip school kid. You're going to end up in detention." Genma frowned, his eyes narrowing as Gaara put up a struggle from being tugged back to the gate. He was trying to be patient, but Gaara was putting up a fight. At the jingle of the gate Genma looked to see Guy-sensei in his regular green spandex suit and jogging suit jacket, closing the gate. "Hey Guy, you mind giving me a hand!"

Guy looked up at the sound of his name, blinking only once before he was through the gate and at Genma's side. "Ah, Young Gaara I see you're being quite the handful again. That is not the right way to expend your youthful energy!"

Genma blinked down to the glaring boy. "So it seems you do this often."

Gaara gritted his teeth, finally tugging his wrist free of Genma's grip. "Well maybe if some people got off my back there wouldn't be any issue."

"Gaara you are full of youthfulness! You must utilize it properly in school!" Guy grinned, giving a thumbs up to the boy. Gaara only rolled his eyes.

Genma smirked, shaking his head as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're always so enthusiastic Guy."

"That's because my friend..." Guy trailed off as he flexed dramatically. "I am over flowing with the might of youth!"

"...Right." Genma nodded in agreement before looking back to Gaara, but when he saw the boy running off his eyes widened. "Hey!" He didn't say more as a green blur sped past him.

Gaara was just at the corner of the street when he felt a strong arm around his waist and his feet coming off the ground. "Ganhg!" He grunted as he was lifted and tossed over a broad shoulder.

"Young Gaara your spirit is strong, but your behavior will only weaken your youth and ruin your strong future." Guy said as he headed back to where Genma stood a couple feet away.

Gaara didn't respond. He did not like he was being tossed around like this, but he wasn't going to fight over the youthful male's shoulder. Guy had a good grip on him, there was no point in fighting, he'd only look like an idiot – if he didn't already. Guy didn't let Gaara back onto his feet until they were inside the building, Genma following closely behind. All the students and teachers were in their classroom, the halls quiet.

"Alright." Gaara snarled, turning to look to both Genma and Guy. "I'm inside. Now leave me alone."

"Oh no. We're not leaving until we see you enter your classroom." Genma explained.

"What? You think I'll run away?" Gaara glared at Genma's expression to his answer. "Forget it." Rolling his eyes, he sauntered down the hall, Guy and Genma following right after.

They didn't get very far until they were sighted by Minato, the dean of the academy. He was just heading back to his office after talking with his son when he noticed them. He blinked, walking up to the three curiously. "Well, what do we have here? Gaara, why are you not in class?" The boy turned sea foam eyes away with a rebellious expression, not giving an answer.

Yet he didn't have to because Genma spoke for him. "He was trying to skip."

"Again?" Minato blinked. "Well it seems you got caught this time."

"He is quite the spirited runner Minato." Guy said, nodding his head.

Minato sighed, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest. "I can't keep letting this go Gaara. How many times have you done this?" Gaara kept up his defiant look, not even looking Minato in the eye. Cerulean eyes narrowed. "Alright. I don't know why you're such a rebellious kid. If you're not going to talk to me maybe you will talk to the counselor."

"I am not going to the counselor." Gaara finally looked to Minato, glaring back into powerful cerulean eyes.

"You will go or have detention with Ibiki-sensei for a month." Minato stepped aside as a growling Gaara moved passed him.

"Fine!" He might as well get this over with.

Minato kept his arms crossed, looking to Guy." Guy, please make sure he gets there." And not run away, but Minato wasn't going to say that out loud. He knew Gaara didn't want to go to the counselor, but detention wasn't going to solve his behavior every time. Guy only nodded, surprisingly, as he followed after the angry boy.

"Are you sure that was the right decision Minato?" Genma frowned in concerned, watching as Guy and Gaara walked away.

Minato looked over his shoulder, eyes settling on the red head's back. "If anyone can understand and help him it's my son."

[ - :: - ]

Well, that's not where I expected to end it. It just kind of happened. I hope you liked it.

Yashamaru is technically 5'5'' or 5'6'' so that makes Gaara 5'3'' or 5'4'' Yes, I made Gaara short. Deal with it. I didn't make him a midget so don't complain. I actually really liked Yashamaru so I decided to use him.

Don't get the wrong idea. The counselor and student relationship thing won't be the same as it is in The Undefine.

Next Time :

Face – Level

"You look cute when you're angry." Neji tilted his head, long dark strands swaying with the movement. He would have petted Gaara's red hair, just wanting to stroke his fingers through it, but he knew the feisty boy would only slap his hand away.

"Bitch, get out my face before I smack you side ways." Gaara glared up at Neji's smug expression, standing close to him, and fists tight at his side. He didn't care if he was new, the brunette was just asking for it.

But Neji didn't waver from Gaara's threat. Towering over him, hands in the pockets of his PE jogging suit his grin widened. "I dare you to come up here and say that to my face."