Chapter 7: Spring break

Naruto's POV

The week of school seemed to fly by, and now it's spring break! Sasuke was going home and goddamn was he being moody about it! He hasn't said a word to me the whole time he's been packing, on top of that he has 'that look'. The one that makes you think he's about to kill someone. I didn't ask about it, I remember last spring break I asked what was up and got yelled at! Kiba's packing too, the only ones not packing is me and Shino. Shino lives too far away to go visit in such a short time, and same with me. It was part of the reason why this all boys school was picked for me. It's far away from my hometown, and from bad memories.

Once I said good bye to my two friends, Shino and I head to his dorm. There wasn't much for me to do, and I hated being by myself. Anyway Shino's a cool guy, just not the talking type. That's all right though, I'll do the talking for the both of us.

"So what are we going to do all spring break? Party? Prank?" I remember last year I had dragged Shino out to do some damage on the school, using graffiti. Shino wasn't so sure about it at first, but then picked up a can of his own and joined me. Of course we got caught and had to clean the wall. Shino isn't usually the type to do that kinda stuff, but I wouldn't say he's a goody-two-shoes either.

"I don't think I'll do any of that this year," Shino says in a monotone voice. I shrug my shoulders, it's his lost. "Kiba's been concerned for you," comes the next sentence. Who would have thought Shino would be so talkative today?

"Why?" I ask.

"He says you've been acting strange. It worries him." Shino says with no emotion behind his words.

"Well tell him there's nothing to worry about," I say in a cheerful voice and make to leave.

"I'd think it would worry him less, if you were the one to tell him nothing its wrong," Shino points out.

"Yeah, I get the hint! I'll talk to him after he gets back from spring break, so he won't have to worry and shit," I say. Shino only gives me a nod when I look in his direction. Then I leave to go into my room.

Am I really acting that different that even Kiba's worried? I think Sasuke understands what I'm doing and that's why he's not worried. He knows that the same thing I did to him I'm doing to Gaara. He tells me to stay away though. I wonder why, did he have a bad experience with the red head? He seems to only be looking out for me, but I still can't help but think 'what's his problem?' I mean I don't really understand Sasuke, of course, he's the type of person that's hard to understand. All I know, for some odd reason Sasuke doesn't want me around Gaara, and now Kiba's worried. Is this really any different from Sasuke? Something has to be the trigger for my friends' worry and stuff. Am I really obsessed?

I still don't know what to do. I go to my window and look out, Gaara's sitting in his usual place. I sigh, once again that odd sounding sigh. I don't know if I should go down there. He had said he doesn't what me around, so is it such a good idea to—Who cares! I ain't given up! I broke Sasuke and I'll be damned if this outcast known for his coldness and rumors about him will be the first not to crack! It's just not my style to give up. I still want to know the story behind the boy, if any of the rumors are true. I head for my bedroom door, I won't be scared away by some little threat. The whole past week I've left him alone, he thinks he's safe. Well he's wrong!

"You," I point at the boy once I reach the courtyard. He stares at me bored. I don't even know why I'm sounding so angry or pointing.

"So how've you been?" My voice takes on a lighter tone. If the red head had eyebrows I'm sure one would be lifted 'cause of my weird behavior. I get no response whatsoever. "Come on, you still mad?" Gaara only looks at me, but once again nothing is said. I sit, hell I ain't leaving, but I need to think of something to talk about. Just ask a bunch of questions, eventually he'll answer. Great, my usual technique, but what to ask? While I was thinking of stuff to say I glanced at Gaara, just short little looks. Every time I did my heart sped up. What's up with that?

"So…" I pause, then go on. "Why aren't you home? Too far away?"

"Why are you still here?" His voice was cold, and it felt like he just stabbed me. I stared at him for a while, completely still. He didn't look at me, just the ground.

"I have a right to be where I want to be. Anyways you always look so lonely. Hell, I'm just trying to do you a favor."

"I meant why aren't you home," he says calmly now looking at me.

"Oh," I say dumbly. "My home town's like miles away from here," I say casually. Then there's quiet again.

"Hey you're not going to answer my question? I answered yours!"

"You actually took my advice," he states in a monotone voice.

"What?"

"You left me alone. What do you want know?" He says in the same stoic voice.

"Don't change the subject! Like I said I can be where I wanna be," I huff, crossing my arms over my chest. Quiet again. I go on to talk about other things, ignoring his question just like he ignored mine. I tell about mine and Shino's prank last spring break.

"What do you usually do for spring break. I mean you never leave campus right?" He says nothing just like I thought he would. I let out a sigh, and go on talking about nothing really in particular. Though I doubt he's listening, if I annoy him long enough I'm sure he'll say something, talk back. I can't give up. I can't let him win, even if it does sound obsessive. Sasuke was a hard nut to crack, but Gaara's even more fun. I keep talking, and talking and talking, and I soon find myself lost in a happy sort of feeling. When I'm with Gaara I can just rant on, and even if he's not listening, he doesn't make me feel dumb or tell me to shut up. I look at the red head, and here comes that weird sick feeling in my stomach again. I pause only a little while then look at the ground and continue my rant. Gaara doesn't seem to notice.

No I won't give up. Gaara's way too interesting of a subject. He does something to me, I can't explain.

Gaara's POV

The irritatingly wonderful sound of familiar annoyance graces my ears. Meaningless raving once again is present in my time of peace. I couldn't help but think it was too quiet out here before the blonde nymph had come to bring a familiar noise with him. Most of the school is gone, and it was just too silent, never had I noticed how still it could be. Also never had I noticed how much I liked constant sound during my time of tranquillity. Constant sound is just what the blond brings. It's as if he doesn't even stop to take a breath of air.

I get up as the sun is close to setting. Naruto was in the middle of a sentence, and then he stops. I walk past him, and I almost found the anger on his face amusing. He watches me leave, and before I open the door to the dorms I hear footsteps behind me. I enter, knowing he's close behind. I go to my empty room. The thought of having a room to myself always pleases me during spring break. I take out a large sketchpad deciding on passing the time by drawing.

What a strange attachment I have to the boy. Well I wouldn't call it an attachment, but I can't find a better-suited word to explain it. All I know is that knowing now that every time I sit outside in the courtyard the blonde will mostly show up, brings me peace of mind. It's only because I want the sound of his annoying voice to bring a steady rhythm, much like a much more grating version of a mother's lullaby. For the baby does not understand the words, only the beat in which they are sung.

This however does not mean that I plan to encourage him in his ludicrous pursuit to be my friend. I just won't push him away. His talking is just too proverbial to me now, and that's the only 'attachment' I have to this person. Friendship is something I don't wish to engage in. As long as the boy doesn't do anything stupid I'll stay neutral. Neither a friend nor foe, just a box he has yet to find the key to open. And never shall that key be found. I wonder how long he'd stay. Not having any success in getting me to become a friend. He'd have to give up some time, yet I think it'll be long before that happened. He has such a strange interest in me, no one's ever tried so hard to try and get to know me. No one's ever made me ponder about them as much as he's made me ponder his motives. Honestly there are so many other people in this school, why has he singled me out?

On I wonder about the blonde sprite, and on came the days where he would keep me company. On came the days of only passing my time by drawing. I soon found myself staying longer in the courtyard, till well after the sunset. Naruto would stay also, the constant rhythm of his voice never stopping. Pointing out things in the area, the time, talking about things most teenagers talk about, or the occasional flawed philosophy and theories he'd come up with. They made no sense whatsoever but I found them amusing to listen to. Whenever I was outside, not long after I'd find the nymph ready to start it's feasting.

It is on an odd day, and I was positive he wouldn't come. It was raining a spring shower, light and long, drizzling. He was speaking about his philosophies once more, and I had found this one interesting enough to actually tune in. What had made me tune in while I wasn't paying any attention whatsoever was the strange tone of voice. It was a tone that had never come up in his ranting. A sad tone, and it made me want to listen.

"I can understand how you can want to be alone sometimes. But to be alone all the time, I don't get that. I never liked being alone. I can understand how some people can get on your nerves, hell I probably do!" He says that one sentence with cheer, but then his voice went back to a sad murmur. How can he just change emotions so quickly? What a strange boy he is, there was no need for cheer in that statement yet there it was. As if he was lifting himself, as if he didn't want to be swallowed by the sound of sorrow.

"It makes me think, why are you so quiet? What did people do to you to make you like this? Were you always like this? Even if you want to be alone sometimes, why iso..iso.." the boy had trouble saying the word. It actually made him sound inexperienced in the use of the word, as if not intelligent enough to say t. "..isolate yourself?" The boy stared off past the rain and at the stars. How long have I been pleasing my ear with long-winded babble?

"I never liked being alone," he says while a yawn escapes him. "I guess that's why I can't stand to see you out here by yourself. You look like no one wants to play with you…." His eyes grew heavy but continue talking he did. "You look like…when I was lonely," it was the last soft whisper he could manage to speak. His eyes fell closed, his arms behind his head. He had leaned back a long time ago in a comfortable position, on the edge of the flower bed. An edge not wide enough to really support all of his body, so his right side lay partly in the colorful night-dulled flowers. I stare at him for a while, really hoping he'd wake up. Why hadn't the idiot gone back to his room if he was tired?

Feeling annoyed I walk up to the boy and shake his shoulder in hopes of waking him. Nothing, but a small snore telling me that he's not going to wake up. I tell myself that I shouldn't care and that he can just sleep out here. After all it was his own fault, he should have left to go to bed. But I did try to shake him awake one last time. Still nothing, he must be a deep sleeper. I shrug, I had at least been kind enough to try and wake him. Usually I wouldn't at all care. Either way I head back inside. Once I reach the door, I look back at the flower bed. I grab the door knob, but can't seem to bring myself to open it. I let out a frustrated sigh, and head back to the blonde idiot. I really shouldn't care if he stays out here in the now growing heavier rain. But for some odd reason I did care, so I picked him up. He was heavy, and I can't say that this ride was smooth because I had to struggle to keep him up. Still he didn't wake up, not even partly, so I could at least ask which room number his was. I know the direction of his room, but not the number.

Reluctantly, I bring the kid into my room. Even using his head to open the hard wood door, he still doesn't wake up. Only his breathing hitches, making his snoring sound like a broken lawn mower. I literally throw him on my brother's bed, my arms feeling weak. I take off Naruto's shoes, and after that I get out a tank top and sweat pants to sleep in. After changing I crawl under my black silk covers, and shut my eyes. I feel so pathetic. Why is it that I couldn't just leave the boy outside? The rain was tapping on the window hard. The worst that would have happened is he would have woken up soaking wet and maybe with a cold. But how is that any concern of mine? Then I think back to the painting Naruto had saved. I suppose it's the least I could do. It doesn't mean that this act was an act of friendship, just a repayment. I just hope the blonde understands that, and that this act doesn't encourage his pursuit of friendship.

It's just his voice, the non-stop noise. That's all I've gotten used to, not his company. No, just the senseless talking. Just the familiarity of his speech, just the pondering about why he seems so interested in me. And the wonder of how long it'll be until he gives up, nothing more, nothing less. Neutral.

The sound of the boys snoring is soothing, once again an annoyance that only seems to soothe me. This snoring was even more rhythmic than his talking. Before my eyes shut, I wonder if anyone ever used to sing to me when I was a child. Maybe that's why I have this strange attachment to the sounds he makes, it reminds me of a time I can't recall, but I know was joyous.

A/N: I could go on with Naruto's POV, but I decided I should save something for next chapter.