A/N : Ello! Presenting, the second chapter of To a Better Future!
Disclaimer: I own zilch. If I did, Itachi would still be alive, and Sasuke would be with Kiba and Sakura would either not exist or stop being an immature bitch sooner. And the villagers and the council would get screwed over. Several times. And I'm going to shut up now.
Watching Naruto from a distance, Gaara sighed. Just like clockwork, Naruto was here at Sasuke's grave to lay a single red spider lily on it and stand in such deep thought that even his bijuu enhanced ninja reflexes were ignored, leaving him worryingly vulnerable.
Naruto's mask was perfect, but how could it work on someone who knew what that masks was for? So while Gaara didn't quite know or quite see, he knew that Naruto was dealing with a hurt that refused to heal. What else could be the reaction of a boy denied acknowledgement, denied the right to exist, denied everything but hurt and grief and sorrow and painpainpain?
Iruka aside, the only person to protect Naruto, to believe that he was someone worth saving, someone worth caring about and willing to show it, albeit grudgingly, was Sasuke Uchiha. Why else would Naruto take the beatings of mere villagers if not to know that he could still feel, even if it was only his body? His heart had been numbed the moment he recognised the need to take the life of the one who gave him a reason to live, and he doubted if it could ever feel anything but a throbbing ache of hurtgriefsorrowpain again.
No one knew of course, no one ever would, but Gaara understood. Gaara knew hurt and grief and sorrow and painpainpain; Gaara knew masks and numbed hearts; Gaara knew the need for a reason to live and not just exist; Gaara was jinchuuriki.
Who better than Gaara then, to empathise with Naruto as he grieved deeply for his loss and not quite loss (for the boy Naruto fell in love with disappeared a long time ago.)?
Gaara understood and perhaps would feel even more if put in Naruto's position, for if he had been in Naruto's shoes, then he would have long ago joined his beloved in death; His beloved was still a source of great comfort and hope and would probably come rushing in if he required assistance. Which is why he watched over Naruto, his beloved, protecting him at his most vulnerable state, and noting the bruises that were taking longer to heal, touched his fingers to the 'love' tattoo on his forehead and made a vow to take and heal and protect the one who had finally, finally released his emotions and let him feel what he had tried so desperately to feel when he used his sand to carve his skin.
A/N : Thanks for reading, and please do let me know what you think!