"Three years ago, I first met you."

He made me feel weird inside. There was uncertainty when I thought about him and, as per usual, the things I found odd were just avoided.

At the same time, he was a person that could not be avoided.

"Gaara, are you up for the party later?"

I averted my eyes and internally sighed. I was not "up" for anything, let alone anything that had to do with him.

"No. I have work to do." Short, sweet, and to the point. No beating around the bush for me.

Giving a loud groan, which also made me feel odd, he put a hand on my shoulder. "But I prepared everything and invited everyone I knew! You have to come! Pleeeeeaassse!"

Naruto, you persistent being, let me be alone.

"Naruto," I began, shrugging his hand off my shoulder. "I have homework, a job, and two siblings to appeal to. I'm not interested in, nor do I have time to go to, a party."

He pouted. Damn him.

"Six months ago, you saved my life."

There was no stopping him. One he had an idea in his mind, you couldn't deter him. And it was extremely annoying when you were part of said idea.

"So, Gaara, I was thinking, since Sakura's birthday is coming up--"

My mind formed the answer ahead of time. "No."

He flailed his arms around. "But you don't even know what I was going to say!"

"Yes, but I know what you weren't going to say." I absent-mindedly countered.

Naruto grumbled. "But that doesn't even make any sense. How could you know what I wouldn't say?"

For a quick second, I actually smiled to myself.

That was...

...weird.

"Naruto, stop complaining."

He jumped up and down, circling me, and annoying the hell out of me. "But we have to get a present for Sakura's birthday! Come on!"

My eyes narrowed at the girl's name. I barely even knew her. "Absolutely not."

"Awwww!"

Goodness gracious.

"Three weeks ago, I wished I'd never met you."

I couldn't believe I was in love with him.

There was no way that I could be in love with that stupid creature of...

...damn it.

Speaking of which.

"Hey! Gaara! Come over here!"

My eyes closed immediately in a feeble attempt to pretend I hadn't heard that voice. But then I felt my breath quicken just a fraction and I cursed everything in my vicinity.

I was in love with the man. And the problem wasn't so much that he was a man, because I really didn't ever figure out my sexual preference, but the kind of man he was. I couldn't see myself with him.

Naruto sat next to me, his eyes peering intensely at my tense figure. "Uh, Gaara? Are you okay?"

No, actually, I'm not. If someone could just pound me until I'm in a coma, I'd appreciate it.

I tried to sound normal. "I'm fine."

Why him? What's so special about his marble blue eyes and sunny yellow hair and...

You know what?

Forget I mentioned anything.

"Today, you saved my heart."

He kissed me. For the first time in...

...well, forever, he kissed me.

And it was gentle, yet passionate, and messy, yet deliberate, and perfect, yet completely imperfect.

Then he smiled at me and laughed. And the sound stung me like ice cold water around my body.

"Gaara, if that's what was making you so freaky, you could've just told me."

I crossed my arms defiantly. "There was no way I would tell you something so personal."

Naruto made me hug him and whispered in my ear, "Well, then, it's a good thing I figured it out when I did."

Yes, it is.

My eyes closed as I hugged back shyly. Physical affection was not my strong point.

However, I had the strange and fleeting thought that Naruto would teach me physical affection.