Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, this would've happened. Gaara is awesome and deserves more camera time!!
A/N: Okay, this is my first Naruto fic. I would love to get reviews, but I'm not going to beg. However, constructive criticism is appreciated. Also, this story will follow the manga to a certain extent. If some things seem off, that's intentional.
Everything in Between
Prologue – A Strange Acquaintance
The little red-haired boy no older than five watched the other children playing from his sandbox, misery playing in his aquamarine eyes. The small group kicked the ball back and forth, using their undeveloped skills as ninjas to keep it away from the opposing team.
The solitary boy looked away from the group, sighing ever so slightly. Turning his back to them, he continued to play with the sand.
The sand moved and dance across the box, bending to his will. He watched it half-heartedly. Amazing as it would be to other people, it was a completely ordinary occurrence for him.
The ball rolled into the sandbox, barreling toward the young boy.
"Head's up!"
Before he even turned around, a shield of sand erupted from the box, protecting him from harm.
The children screamed in horror, noticing him for the first time. Running as fast as they could, they darted out of the playground.
"Wait!" the little boy called to no avail.
Without looking back, they left him standing there. He watched them all as they ran, anguish making him screw up his face.
He was all alone again.
--
Silver-white hair dance wildly around the little girl's face as she ran after her mother. The sun beat down on her form, aching to burn her pale complexion.
"Sayaka, come underneath the umbrella!"
Sayaka grinned and ran after her mother, leaping into her arms. The tall, regal woman smiled faintly, picking up the girl and falling after her husband.
"Mommy?"
The woman looked down at the smiling girl in her arms. "Yes?"
Sayaka looked down at her mother's necklace. A pretty silver crescent moon with the kanji for love, forgiveness, trust, and mercy written on it dangled from a silver chain.
"Can I go play? I saw a playground down the road."
The woman frowned slightly. She wasn't sure enough about Sunagakure's safety as long as the treaty wasn't signed.
"Sayuri, it'll be fine. We'll be done in twenty minutes. I'll wrap things up with Kazekage-sama quickly."
Sayuri looked at her husband and nodded. Being the leader of Getsugakure, he was used to making decisions about safety. He trusted Suna enough to let his daughter run around alone.
Signaling her escort to hand Sayaka her small umbrella, Sayuri let the child jump down from her arms. Sayaka grabbed the umbrella, dipped her head in thanks to the escort, and ran off down the street.
--
The little red haired boy hugged his knees, making meaningless designs in the sand.
"Whatcha doing?"
The boy looked up, his eyes wide. Sayaka smiled down at him, her umbrella shading her from the glare of the desert sun.
He stared at her, not exactly sure what to say.
Sayaka tilted her head to the side, still grinning at him. "I asked what you were doing."
The boy looked away from her blue eyes. They were an unusual blue, clear and oceanic.
"Are you okay?"
Looking up again, the boy noticed she had kneeled down in the sand in front of him. The sand around him shifted, ready to protect him whether he liked it or not.
Sayaka frowned. "I asked if you were okay."
"I'm fine," he mumbled, avoiding eye contact.
The little girl smiled happily then. "Good! I thought you were sick."
The boy looked up. "Why are you talking to me?"
Sayaka shrugged. "You seemed lonely."
"Oh."
They sat there in silence for a while. Finally, the little girl stood up.
"I have to go soon."
Silence.
She tilted her head to the side. "Hey, what's your name?"
He looked up at her, opening his mouth to answer when someone shouted.
"There you are! It's time to go, sweetie," called Sayaka's mother.
"Coming, Mommy!"
Before she turned and ran to her mother, Sayaka turned back to the boy. "Hey, maybe, if I come back with Daddy someday, we can play together!"
The little boy nodded slightly. Smiling at him again, she ran off to her mother, leaving the red-head alone again.
A hot, dry desert wind blew across the playground as mother and daughter left hand-in-hand. The little boy watched Sayaka's retreating back with loneliness in his eyes.
"My name is Gaara…"