Naomi tipped her head to the right side and cracked her neck before taking a step out into the open, her heart threatening to burst out of her ribcage out of fear. She closed her eyes and saw the rush of sand coming towards her before opening her eyes and seeing the bright, spiky, mess of auburn hair and emotionless pale green eyes peering into her soul for a second before he turned his attention into the distance in front of him. He said nothing. She narrowed her eyes at him before slowly taking a cautious step towards him.
"What do you want?" He spoke. She didn't know the answer to that simple question. She gulped at a dry lump in her throat. She opened her mouth and no voice came to her. "You are frightened. You should get out of here." Instinctively, she took a few steps back before falling on her butt. He looked over at her once again and Naomi felt her face heat up in embarrassment. "What do you want?" He repeated. Naomi got to her feet and sat on the edge of the nearest wall about fifteen meters away from Gaara.
"I could not sleep so I took a walk and ended up here." She said quietly. "Aren't you going to put up your sand or something?" She wanted to disappear right after she said that. Gaara looked down at the ground and said nothing for a minute or so.
"No."
"Okay." Naomi responded numbly before looking the opposite way, down at the smaller buildings and houses. She could see the park in the distance and just beyond that, her training area. She first met Gaara at the park. They were about six years old. The day of his mental breakdown. He's been untouchable since.
"Why couldn't you sleep?" Gaara suddenly asked. She looked at him and he was facing the town, his back to her, he hasn't moved a centimeter since she came out of the shadows.
Naomi shrugged, "Nightmare." She stated.
"Nightmare.." He repeated.
"Yeah.. but I don't sleep well anyway so it's kind of.. normal for me."
"Why?" He asked. She glanced his way and he had his eyes fixated on her. She felt her face heat up once more under that intense gaze. It was a curious gaze. She was reminded of Gaara when they met. Curious. Isolated. Longing for any kind of positive human interaction.
"I'm not sure.." She said suddenly not wanting to hurt his feelings. He said nothing but he slowly stood up and walked towards her and sat a few feet away from her. Naomi felt her body tense up but she didn't move. He hasn't been this close to her since that day.
"I remember you.." He said slowly. "Your eyes aren't like the others.. Everyone looks at me with hate.. You look at me with kindness, warmth.. Even after that night.. You sometimes follow me.. Why?"
"Um... I don't know.. Maybe because I worry about you. I wanna make sure your okay.." Naomi said quietly, playing with her shoulder-length hair. "You're still my friend.. I want to make sure you're okay. I know you don't like other people, I make sure I'm distant. I'm not stalking you or ...anything.. creepy."
"Friend?" Gaara asked with slightly wider eyes, She nodded. "Naruto is like me.. but he made friends even when he has a demon inside.. Even when everyone hates him... He never lost himself in the pain of being hated and alone... He has friends... He protects them out of his love for others.. He didn't love only himself like I do.. Or did..." Naomi raised an eyebrow at Gaara. This is the most he has said in a long time, but who is this 'Naruto' guy.. "I would like friends.. I don't want to be feared by allies and comrades.. I would like to protect people dear to me.."
Naomi was speechless, She has never heard such positive things come from Gaara before.
"I apologize about what I did to you.. You almost died because of me.. You were my only friend and I almost killed you.."
"Gaara.." Naomi said feeling shocked. He looked at her with sadness and regret looming in his eyes. It seemed foreign to her. "It wasn't your fault... It's not your fault... You were trying to protect me, Gaara.." She said quietly, His eyes grew wide before he looked up at the crystal clear sky. He has changed dramatically since his return.
