Wow, this looks a lot longer in Word.

Anyway, I have a ridiculous amount of ideas for other stories. I keep going off to write them and ignoring this one. I have a new policy to make at least two chapters and have a plot outlined before I post, so I don't have to delete any stories.

So, in short, updates might be a bit slow.

Also, to my reviewers – thank you so much. It really helps to know that people are reading this. :3

Happy Easter, everyone!


(Gaara's POV)

I'm back in Suna.

I'm glad, and a bit surprised, to find that Temari and Kankuro have done an okay job handling filling in for me. They handled most of the paperwork and did everything they could for the two weeks that I was gone.

I slide into my chair, in a trance, mind wandering off to Naruto every few seconds. I write the occasional word or two down, but my heart's obviously not in it.

Then, I glance at the clock and realize that, for the last two hours, I have accomplished nearly nothing, neither with my dilemma, nor my Kazekage work.

I push the distracting thoughts out of my mind and fill in all the papers I have to do, listening to the occasional mission report from the shinobi. The Sand Village is more important than my own petty feelings – I can deal with my emotions later.

I stack the last piece of paper into the dangerously tall 'finished' pile, then glance outside. The sun has begun to set. There should not be any more people coming in here.

So I gather up my gourd, take everything I need, and head back home.

The moment I open the door, Temari comes to greet me. "Evening, Gaara," she says smoothly. "Great timing. Dinner will be ready in five."

I nod and walk up the stairs to my room. I set down my gourd and stretch. Since I really can't do anything important in five minutes, I lie down on my bed and close my eyes, but not to fall sleep.

I used to do this sometimes while I still had insomnia, just close my eyes and think. About things.

Kissing people, for example.

I lie in my bubble of meditation, thinking about the situation, uninterrupted.

I kissed him, and that is that. I cannot change the past no matter how much I want to.

I just need to find a way to redeem myself. But how? He probably thinks I'm crazy or something.

Or worse, he thinks I'm crazy and told everybody in the Leaf Village.

No, he would do that (probably). Naruto may act like an idiot, but he knows what to keep to himself. Or does he? He did lose his memory.

It's just that I love him (A/N: as a friend, you pervs), and I may have put our entire relationship (1) on the line in about five seconds.

The first friendship that I had, the one person who changed my life and my beliefs for the better, has forgotten everything, and to make the situation worse, I kissed him.

Bottom line, I cannot afford to lose Naruto.

"Dinner!" Temari cries.

I stand up and jog down the stairs, then sit down at the kitchen table with my siblings.

The dinner looks delicious. Temari has made rice with cooked fish. Still, I pick at the food in distaste, and notice Temari and Kankuro giving each other a look.

I blatantly ignore their occasional glances and instead think of Naruto, about that thing happened. I totally zone out and drop the chopsticks.

"Oi, oi, Gaara!"

"Huh? What, Kankuro?" I reply, shaken out of my trance.

"I asked you a question like, five minutes ago!"

"Oh. What was it?"

"Are we going to the festival?"

"The… festival?"

He rolls his eyes. "Uh, you know, the festival in Konoha that we go to every year? We're going, right?"

"Of course," I reply, remembering the annual parade in the Leaf Village.

This is another chance to go the Konoha, to mend my friendship. I had better not fail.

Kankuro pushes his plate to the middle of the table. "I'm done," he announces.

I gulp down my dinner quickly and say, "Thank you for the meal."

I'm about to go upstairs and waste some more time over this, but Temari says, "Wait a moment, Gaara. I want to talk to you."

"About what?" I say innocently.

"You've been acting kind of funny since you got back from The Village Hidden in Leaves. What happened there?"

"I appreciate your concern, but nothing is wrong, Temari," I say coolly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, if there's anything you need to say, just remember, Kankuro and I are always here for you."

With that, she picks up the plates and leaves the dining room. I shrug and walk back up the stairs, aware that my sister has come back out and his staring at me.


(1) I thought it was a tad strange that Naruto when to such lengths to save Gaara in the anime, and called him somebody that he cared for greatly. I understand that Gaara reminds Naruto of himself when he was younger, but they talked, like, two times before.

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