Disclaimer: if I owned naruto, then him an' gaara wouldn't have to be treated like crap by so many people.

Chapter 2: Point Blank

"Damn it." The words rolled themselves from his tongue, hanging in the atmosphere's humidity before being joined by quiet sobs. "Damn it all to hell." Calloused hands closed around clumps of grass, digging so hard that the skin beneath his fingernails began too break. "Why me? Why in the blue hell does everybody have to hate me?" Tears streamed from blue eyes until he forced them closed, tightening his grip on the ground. "Why can't anybody love me?"

"'Cause the rest of the world jus' doesn't believe in usin' common sense anymore, kid." Chocolate colored eyes pulled away from the sight in front of her, narrowing with an all to familiar feeling. "They're worried. Fearful that they can't make you submit to their wills, 'cause you're different. An' when people are afraid, they throw piss parties, tryin' to break you down 'til there's nothing left of you but a fuckin' shell. Wanting you to be what they're scared they'll become."

Her words were a whisper, and for the briefest of moments he thought she hadn't spoken at all. But then her hand pressed against her shoulder and chocolate pools squeezed shut.

"People turn you into their own personal martyr, ripping your soul apart jus' so they don't have to look into their own."

Vibrant blue eyes locked onto her figure, cloaked in shadows caused by a dying sun. No, not dying. The sun's been dead to me for years. "But why! I'm only a kid! I haven't done anything wrong! And yet, these self absorbed jerks just look at me like mud stuck to the bottom of their shoes! They throw things at me, spit and kick and beat on me! I can't even go three freakin' feet without somebody cursing the day I was born!"

"Naru-

"No matter what I do, I'll never be good enough for anything! Or, for anyone." His voice dropped so suddenly that she had to strain to hear him. "I hate it. All those cold, empty stares and the fake smiles."

"It makes you want to fade away, doesn't it?" In a display so unlike her usual firm and rough demeanor, Anko knelt before the boy and pulled him against her into a soft hug. "Makes your lungs burn 'til you jus' don't want to be anymore." Nimble fingers ran themselves through unruly blonde hair as a pair of arms clung desperately to her waist, as though he were afraid she would disappear.

"I…" Again he closed his eyes, fresh tears building up behind his lashes. "I don't wanna be alone anymore."

And once more, with gentleness she'd never believed herself capable of, Anko tilted his head up so that he would look at her. "Alone? You're jokin' right?"

Confusion settled across his features until the metal of her forehead protector pressed into his own.

For the first time in days, Anko's dark brown eyes lit up as a smile graced her lips. "You've got me now, kid. We're two of a kind."

Smiling despite his tears, Naruto gave a nod before lying his head back on her stomach. "Yeah. Two of a kind."

Part 2 done! I'm not sure when the next part will be up, but hopefully it'll be better than this one hope you guys enjoy, drop me a line by clickin' on dat lil box in the left hand corner… (- -;)