Gaara's childhood

Gaara's childhood

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Naruto, or anyone who appears here.

A/N: Chapter 7, This is where my geology lessons come in… I'm glad they finally come in use! See, you never know when a lesson will come in use, so keep studying folks! (All that down there is true facts. Just to let you know.)

Chapter seven: Smarty pants and desert animals

Yashamaru's house, living room

"Where does the word 'desert' come from Gaara-sama?" Yashamaru asked pointing to a word on the board.

Gaara was looking at it from the living room table. "Desert comes from the earned name by its root word 'deserter', but many are mislead in this fact because they think 'devoid of life' when they see 'desert'."

Yashamaru nodded and then got ready to write more words on the board. He turned to Gaara. "Very good, now how many types of deserts are there Gaara-sama?"

"Five types of deserts."

"They are…?"

"You see an area is a desert when it receives less than 25cm of precipitation per year annually. So its safe to say that these five are deserts. Um… Subtropical deserts… Rain-shadow desert… Uhm… I know these… Continental interior, some deserts can appear near cold ocean currents and there is the polar desert!" Gaara smiled at Yashamaru who smiled at him. Yashamaru was writing them down on the board as Gaara named them.

"Very good! You study so hard Gaara-sama, but were not over yet! What are the most power fullest forces in the desert?"

"Water and wind!" Gaara was smiling. I am glad I study at night when I am bored, Yashamaru is pleased with me! I am so happy! I like it when he smiles at me… Gaara didn't realize he was staring at his uncle.

"Gaara-sama? Did you hear what I said? Is there something on my face?" Yashamaru said rubbing his cheeks.

"N-no, you're beautiful, Really! I mean that you, there is nothing on your face! S-sorry Yashamaru I was thinking but I'm ready now!" Gaara sat upright and looked determined. I hope he doesn't catch on that I think he is beautiful…

"Gaara-sama you are TOO cute!! I'm tempted to stop this lesson and snuggle you till you can't breath!" Hearts were flying from Gaara's uncle. After a little bit Yashamaru collected him self and went back to teaching Gaara.

Meanwhile at the academy….

"Kankuro that is very bad work, please learn how to do the metric system properly." The teacher said handing Kankuro his paper.

"… You waited till after class to tell me? I guess thanks for being tactful… ah!" Kankuro was frowning he saw his grade, 67/100. He flunked on math. "Thanks I guess, bye." Kankuro left to go outside.

Outside is where he saw his father talking with Temari about her paper. "Nice, you're smart but don't get cocky." He looked over at Kankuro who ran and hugged him. "What are you doing? Aren't you a little old to be hugging?"

"Yeah but its nice in a while isn't it? I got a good grade but I messed up on the math, I mean when am I ever going to do math?"

"… When are you going to do math in your life?" The father said looking at his son like he couldn't believe him.

Crap… Its always something with him… Really though when am I going to need math? Kankuro let go of his dad and did a naïve/serious face.

"How about the distance between you and your opponent? Precision, accuracy, volume of your puppet? Width, weight and height? Can they over power you, vice versa? How about length of a jump divided your weight? HM?" The father put emphasis on the 'hm.'

"… Instinct?" Kankuro answered as-a-matter-of-factually.

"If you did instinct it can lead you to bad places, math is used in our everyday lives even if you don't see it. Instinct is a guess, while math has a for sure answer every time. If you know the rules its easy." Temari said knowledgably.

"See? Well said Temari." Kazekage-sama stopped and looked at Kankuro. "You know what? Kankuro your going to spend some time studying with Gaara."

"WHAT!? NO WAY!" Kankuro clenched his hand. "There is no way you are going to make me!!" Kankuro frowned but felt like he won.

"… Tell me Kankuro…" Kankuro smirked and crossed his arms.

"Do you hate Suna?" The father smirked at him and crossed his arms too.

"…" Kankuro looked down.

In front of Gaara's and Yashamaru's door

"…. No fair using that against me…" Kankuro had knocked and was waiting for somebody to answer. He shuffled his feet remembering the look on Temari and his father's face. Kankuro didn't know if it was just him or what but he felt a little helpless sometimes when they gained up on him. Is just because I am the middle child or something? Nah, I can take care of myself. It's not fair of them to gain up. Kankuro sighed. He knocked on the door again. What is taking them so long?

Just then Gaara had opened the door. "H-hi, may I help… No, no, its um… Hello, what brings you here Kankuro…?" Gaara was nervous and hiding a little behind the door.

"Where is Yashamaru?" Kankuro said looking in for his uncle.

"He stepped out to get some rocks for my lesson… Y-Yashamaru should be here in a little bit… M--" He took a deep breath to stop stuttering because he was nervous. "May I help you…?"

"Yeah, I have to…." Dad is going to kill me… "Actually, I came here to borrow some flour." Kankuro tried not to laugh.

"O-oh really? What, um, are you making?" Gaara had a tense smile, he was also tucking his head in.

"I am baking a cake for dad. I actually care for him and want to give him a gift for no reason but to tell him I love him…unlike you Gaara." Kankuro was darkly smirking at Gaara.

"… … …" Gaara was staring at him with a hurt expression.

"Yeah, I'm talking about you. Your selfish and your more spoiled when you shouldn't be. You don't deserve anything or anyone. That is the truth Gaara."

"… … …. ….I'm …. Selfish…?" Gaara finally said looking down. "Why don't Ideserved to be loved…? Whats so bad aboutme?" Gaara was clenching his hands near his heart.

"I don't have to answer that, just give me the flour and I will be on my way… Huh?" Kankuro leaned closer to Gaara still smirking and with brock eyes. "Good grief! Are you crying for yourself? Listen to this loud and clear you monster: You–are-selfish-and-don't-deserved-to-be-loved." Kankuro enunciated.

"NO! I can love others! I can! They can love me back! Really! I promise!"

"… You really can be loved? Is that what you are saying?" Gaara nodded looking away, tears falling off his face as he nodded.

Kankuro looked around mockingly. "I don't see anyone here Gaara. If people can love you then where are they? See? How many times a day do you tell yourself people can love you? You are pathetic! Now get me a cup of flour!" Gaara held back his tears but his face was still really sad. He watched Gaara close the door. Wow, dad is going to be SO angry at me for doing this. I am suppose to be studying with it but I got a cup of flour instead… ah man… I hope the cake will turn out good and it will make peace with my dad….

The door and Gaara handed him a cup of good quality flour. "H-here…" He looked down choking back sobs. "Here you go…." Gaara softly whispered. Gaara was looking away and clenching the door, tight. Like he was hoping Kankuro would take it back.

Kankuro took the cup away roughly. "Don't bother, sayonara!" Kankuro walked away laughing, he heard the door close the when he was walking away.

"…………." Gaara closed the door and ran to his room. He laid on the bed crying hard and thinking about what Kankuro had said.

Gaara's room

"I wonder what is taking Yashamaru so long…? He said 5 minuets at the least… Oh, Yashamaru… Its been 23 minuets. I DO deserved to be loved… I am loved. I have Yashamaru to prove that…. am I selfish? M-maybe I can prove him wrong, I can prove everyone wrong! I will show all of Suna how nice I can be! Do you agree with me Aloe?" He looked at his teddy bear. He made her stand up and nod. "Alright! I will have daddy order me gifts for everyone! I will show them!"

Gaara jumped off the bed and ran to the balcony he froze by what he saw. Y-… YASHAMRU!?

Gaara hid himself and looked over at the street below and a little ways away.

Yashamaru was hugging Kankuro and telling him something that Gaara couldn't hear. Yashamaru looked up at Kankuro and asked him something. Kankuro nodded and cried again. Gaara teleported to the nearest building.

"—yeah.. he was horrible uncle… I was so scared!" Kankuro said hugging him. "Do you agree he is a monster?"

Yashamaru stopped hugging Kankuro and looked down. "Yes… I think him as a horrible monster, he is nothing but that."

YAHAMARU!? Gaara held himself closer. He felt something in his heart tightening. He thought me as a monster the whole time… Yashamaru maybe Kankuro was right…He held his heart really tight and his bear. Nobody loves me… He curled up and held himself. Gaara started crying. This can't be true… if can't be… Gaara felt those words loose their meaning every time he repeated them in his head.

"But that's what you want me to say, its not the truth though." Kankuro looked up at Yashamaru to see if he was telling the truth.

Gaara looked up at that and looked over at those two. Yashamaru?? Gaara felt that feeling going away and return with an overwhelming feeling of hope.

"I love Gaara, I know he didn't cut you, Gaara-sama would never hurt you." Yashamaru stood up. "Now, I will to go back to the person I love, my little Gaara."

Those words felt so strong and so safe. Gaara was standing up looking over at Yashamaru. Yashamaru…

Yashamaru looked up at the sky. "I just don't think of Gaara-sama in that way, no… He isn't a monster all I see is my little nephew called Gaara, a person I love with all my heart." Yashamaru started walking away from Kankuro.

"Well, Kankuro, I am going back to Gaara…" He was walking more away and looked back at Kankuro. "I am going to apologize to him for taking so long and I am going to tell him for no reason that I love him. I can't help but love him so much… Well, good bye Kankuro." He gave a polite bow and started walking away.

"… Rats! Does he really love him that much? That's impossible!" Kankuro looked at the flour and the cut he gave himself. "I might as well bake a cake… tomorrow I'll go…" Kankuro sighed and left angry.

Gaara was standing there happy thinking about Yashamaru's words. Now, I have to go back to the person I love, my little Gaara.' Gaara felt so… needed, loved and safe. Aloe… Yashamaru told Kankuro off and he doesn't think me a monster at all… Yashamaru… I have to get to him and tell him I love him! "Come on Aloe!!" Gaara jumped off the building and landedsafely on the floor. He ran all the way to his home where Yashamaru was waiting.

Gaara was panting running up the stairs. Yashamaru…

Gaara ran down the halls. Yashamaru..

Gaara put his hand on the doorknob. Yashamaru.

He saw Yashamaru waiting on the balcony. Yashamaru… I…

Gaara walked straight behind Yashamaru but set a distance. Yashamaru didn't seem to notice Gaara was there. Yashamaru I… I…

Yashamaru looked around and then turned around. "….?"

"…Yashamaru I love you." Gaara didn't blush at all when he said this. He didn't feel nervous or scared , he just wanted to say it because it was true.

Yashamaru blinked and smiled. "Gaara… I mean Gaara-sama, me too." His uncle bended down and hugged his nephew. "Where were you? I was worried but now that you are here, this is the reason I was taking so long. The rocks and…" He went to the balcony and got present. A book with a ribbon attached to it. "This will make studying funner! Lets try it out Gaara-sama."

Gaara opened the present carefully not ruining the paper. "You bought me a encyclopedia of desert animals? Thank you Yashamaru! I will learn of every type of animal in the desert!" Gaara hugged his uncle again. "Lets try catching one of these animals… if you want."

"Lets go Gaara-sama!" Yashamaru held Gaara's hand and they both walked to the desert to find an animal to catch.

At the desert

"Whew, we finally caught a fox!" Yashamaru said gently holding it down. Yashamaru was calming the fox down until it stopped squirming. "Here Gaara-sama, don't be afraid, pet it Gaara-sama." Yashamaru said gently.

"…" Gaara gave a nod. He walked over to it and hesitantly petted it. It moved a little but then got used to Gaara's touch. Gaara gave a laugh and looked up at Yashamaru smiling. Yashamaru started petting it too.

Then it happened! Yashamaru's hand slid over Gaara's for a brief moment. Gaara looked up at him red. Yashamaru's hand slid off and resumed petting the fox.

Gaara stood up. He felt this feeling again. What is this feeling? I felt a few days ago… its such a good feeling…

Yashamaru looked up at Gaara and smiled. Gaara shyly smiled back. "Lets go home now Gaara-sama." Gaara nodded and held his hand all the way home.

At the kazekage tower

Okay, just breath, dad knows I didn't see Gaara today, I hope this cake is enough… I hope, I hope… Alright it's a piece-of-crap-cake but I baked it for my dad… Here goes nothing!!

"Come in Kankuro." The Kazekage said without Kankuro even nodding.

Kankuro was hiding the cake behind his back. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest.

"What that you got there?"

"A cake for you. For all your hard work, I made it my self. Take it." Kankuro held out a small cake. He put it on his fathers desk.

The father looked at it and smiled. "Thanks I have been hungry all day but it was just work, thanks again. How was your lesson with Gaara, you didn't hurt him?" The father scooted the cake in front of him.

"What?" Kankuro looked up confused. He thought for sure he was going to get a scolding. "You didn't have someone follow me?"

The Kazekage shook his head. "Baki is out right now on a mission. Why?" He was cutting the cake up.

He honestly doesn't know about that I didn't go. Wow, I guess even the Kazekage can't keep track of everything and everyone. "Oh, I just thought you would have me followed as usual. See that proves I love Suna!"

"Yes it does. Good work, remember he is your brother and you must learn to love him. You can take the day off, again thanks for the cake."

Kankuro nodded and left. He was walking outside and smiling. I'm glad dad doesn't know about me. Life is great now… Now I'll play with my friends! Kankuro ran to the playground to where his friends are.

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A/N: Hello again… I am very embarrassed when it comes to fluff or anything of the like… Yeah… Kankuro got away with lying today, bad Kankuro! Do you like the chapter, please review! More is to come, stay tuned! (During the review be firm but gentle, my confidence is a little fragile…. Thanks!)