Newest story! Yay! I seem to be pelting them out lately… Well, more so than I was before. -shrugs- Anywho, yeah. Here it is!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, it would involve a lot of man sex and wouldn't be viewable by small children.

Warnings: AU. Shonen-ai. Attempted suicide. Yeah…

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Reaching Out

"So, tell me some things about yourself."

That's how it all started. We were quietly sitting on a bench in the park while all our friends were playing on the park equipment like children, and you randomly turned and uttered that one sentence. You had this look in your eyes and it told me I could trust you. Because of that look, I started telling you things I hadn't told anyone else; not even my own siblings.

"My name is Gaara. I have two older siblings; Temari and Kankuro. People like to tell me I'm pretty or handsome, but I don't believe them. I hate looking at myself in the mirror because I think I look hideous. I don't eat very much and when I do eat, it usually comes back up within an hour. I normally only get less than an hour of sleep each night, and I tend to compulsively bathe. I have this thing where everything has to be really clean, and it's hard to keep everything clean living with my siblings, which really ticks me off. I like wearing make-up, even though I think it makes me look worse. It's mostly just to hide the bags under my eyes. I also have a problem with people, which is why I don't talk much. I think I might be gay, but I'm not quite sure. I also used to get into fights a lot in Suna, which is why we moved to Konoha. A lot of people tend to think my favorite colors are black and red, but I actually like white, violet and green. Odd combination, I know. I tried to kill myself once. I chickened out after the first big cut, though, realizing I didn't want to leave my siblings. Oh! I-"

"My name's Neji. Would you like to come to my house? We could talk more there."

A simple nod, and I was on my way.

I never realized just how much that day effected me. We spent a lot of time together after that, and I slowly began falling for you. I thought you loved me back, too, but then I walked in on you and Lee. Lee, of all people! I was crushed, and I tried to end my life again. I would have succeeded if my siblings hadn't found me. You didn't even come to visit me while I was in the hospital. Temari and Kankuro found out about all my problems that night. They got me help and I'm doing a lot better! I'm even communicating more! Of course, it's only with Temari and Kankuro, but my therapist says that it's a step in the right direction. I'm still lonely, though. Even more so, now that you won't talk to me. Oh well, though. There's really nothing I can do about it. Sometimes, though, I wake up in the middle of the night, crying and hoping against hope that I'll die then and there. But then I think about how far I've come, and know that it would have all been wasted if that happened.

You changed me, Neji, when you decided to talk to me that day at the park. I'll never forget it, and I thank you for it. And now, as I'm walking and I see you sitting on that same park bench, eyes red and swollen from crying over something, I realize that I'd never really known you the way you'd known me. I decide I'm going to fix with that, and talk to you whether you want me to or not. I slowly make my way over to you and sit quietly next to you on the bench. And I turn to you and say those seven words that changed my life all those months ago.

"So, tell me some things about yourself."

And as you turn to me and start talking, in almost the same manner I had done with you, I realize that there's a lot more to you than I thought. It just to some reaching out to find it.

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So, there's 678 words in this. -nods- I mean, see, last night I was in a really good mood, and for some reason I was really sad, too. So I decided to write, because that's what I do, and tada! This is what came of it. . It was around… Midnight, I think. Anyways, here it is, hope you liked it.

Review! Or I'll sick my team of guard ninjas on you (because I really do have one of those). .

-Marissa