A concerned villager contacted Temari about the strange noises she had been hearing in her roof since 3 a.m. until now (noon). Temari took out her fan and looking up the roof she shouted, "Whoever you are, show yourself!"

Not too much of her surprise, a flowing bundle of green hair slowly appeared from the edge of the roof, and Naeko's familiar voice said, "Morning Temari-chan!"

"What the hell are you doing here!?" Temari shouted louder making the village woman try to hide behind a broom.

Naeko jumped down nonchalantly and replied pointing, "v.v I was just cleaning this lady's gutters".

Temari shrieked, "Ew, it sounds completely wrong when you say it... Hey! Where's Gaara?! Were you doing something to him up there?!"

Naeko picked her nose a bit, and then used her free hand from behind her back to showed her fist. When Temari backed away thinking it meant a fight, Naeko looked distant and explained, "I was busy making a new friend." She encapsulated the contents of her fist with both her hands and peeked in to say, "Hey friend :3, hungry? Let's ,make ya some Jalapeo oatmeal for breakfast!"

Naeko continued walking as she talked to whatever was on her hands, Temari looked on and almost forgot to yell, "I don't want any of that for breakfast! I'm sick of spicy foods damn you! :O!!!" ... Eventually, she apologized to the lady before going home too.

Moments later...

"Aw my stomach's burning! T~T... Damn it Gaara! How can you eat that?!" Kankuro rubbed his belly as he drank water Temari just went out to eat.

Gaara kept his arms crossed not saying that although the food was spicy, it was also one of his favorites. Then, he walked into the living room pretending to hide his curiosity at to what seemed to be Naeko's newly found source of affection.

Naeko contemplated whatever she had on hand, and every time Gaara was close to looking, she turned around-which of course ended up arousing Gaara's curiosity even further. And just as she sat on the roof of the house at night wishing her secret new friend good night, Gaara sat just a few steps away.

Every time the wind blew, Naeko noticed Gaara got closer by a bit and a bit more, and more, until he was all out next to her trying to see what she was holding.

Naeko turned around without a warning and planted a big, wet lick on his lips.

He backed away looking offended as he wiped the saliva off his face with his sleeve, and then he snapped, "Why the hell are you defending that thing?! Is it some sort of weapon?"

"O_o... XD! What kind of a nut are you!?... I guess a very cute one ^3^. Tell you what, if you want to know what this is, you have to pay me..." Naeko gave him a sly look.

Gaara didn't lose time to take out his wallet and ask, "How much?"

'. He is dense' Thought Naeko and then she licked her lips to explain, "I don't need or want money, I want something... more fun ^o^."

"Are you challenging me to a fight?"

"No, -.-;... I mean, I'll trade you a peek for... uh, let's say a kiss. Yeah! Give me a kiss and you can meet my cute friend here... Either that, or we can play doctor. I can give you a detailed check up ;)..."

Gaara blushed bright red under moonlight and looked on to Naeko's soft hair blowing in the wind as he contemplated the idea if for just a second; he took a gulp of saliva and decided, "It is just a trick! There's nothing on your hands, so stop playing stupid games!"

Naeko's eyes quickly became big and teary, ";~;, I know you're mad, but no matter how big or small you are, it still hurts when other people deny your existence... ;-; you're so cruel to say that!" After saying that, Naeko stood up and jumped off the roof.

After listening such words, Gaara felt the pain he knew in his early childhood and realized that perhaps she did understand what he felt in the past and even now.

A couple of days later, days in which Naeko didn't speak to Gaara at all, Naeko was stepping out of the bathroom after a hot shower. She complained less, and Gaara could hear her sing and say, "Don't worry my little buddy I'll have you all clean like me ^-^".
By now, Naeko had her friend in a small box with holes too small to see anything, but enough for whatever was inside to be able to breathe.

Gaara was in his room, which he reluctantly shared with Naeko, when she stepped out of the shower drying her hair and using a tiny towel else to cover her body. Gaara turned bright red more than his hair. And before he could complain, Naeko got dressed and walked out saying, "V.V; Don't worry about anything, my buddy and I will be leaving... As soon as I find another place anyway .;"

Moments, later Gaara found her on the roof. She was trying to hide that she was cold, but her ears were shaking.

Gaara bit his lip and walked over to her, and then he threw her jacket on her back. Naeko kept pouting, but couldn't hide a small blush of joy.

Gaara sat next to her and gazed at the moon as well. Naeko could tell Gaara was having a hard time saying the following: "So, if I... Kiss you, can I really see what's in that box?"
Naeko was pretending to keep her dignity, "Yeah, but only if you want to v.v".

Gaara turned to her and hesitated for a while, and she could see that he was thinking how much easier it would be if that was a duel to the death, so she said, "Fine, if you're that shy I'll just close my eyes u.u."

His hands were sweaty and his heart was racing; and as he leaned closer to her, he held his hand to his chest as if trying to hide the sound of his heart pounding. Too bad the image of Naeko walking out nearly nude was too fresh in his mind. Loud heartbeat or not, he did it in one blow. He closed his eyes and gave her a kiss on the cheek; she smirked as she saw him through his lightly open eye. A strange sensation urging from within made him want to embrace her and kiss her more, but he backed away, and asked for his reward, "OK, now let me see."

Naeko blinked and said, "That's it? Geez, how cheap, no tongue or anything? :)... –pounces- This is a KISS!"

Naeko let go of the box, and while Gaara struggled to keep Naeko and himself from falling as well as to being taken to new explorative sensations, the sound of fluttering wings broke the silence of that almost quiet night. Naeko got off Gaara and looked up waving, "Goodbye Nichie!"

The small black bird flew as if it seemed to be flowing directly into the moon. Gaara and Naeko looked on until it was no longer visible. All that time Gaara found himself content with the idea of knowing someone that caring, but at that moment he never thought about saying it.

As Naeko looked on, she explained, "It was born later than the other birds, so when time came to migrate her parents had to leave her. XD I must say it was hard finding the right time to teach her how to fly without anyone seeing us. I don't like people knowing I'm that much of a softie, or that I might be trying to eat it -.-;. So, promise you won't tell."

"OK" he said, and continued to be silent.

Then she added, "I know you won't since you've known for a while 8D! -hugs him- You're so cute to try and cheer me up. I promise I won't tell either...-lets him go- Hm... and now that we're alone... wanna play doctor?"

Gaara grimaced and just walked away—he tried anyway. After all, they were to begin training in taijitsu the following day, and Gaara shuddered to think what she had in mind for that.


Comment: Originally, this chapter was supposed to be Chapter 8.5 and it was written after the entire series was completed. However, since it is pretty short, I decided to add it in the correct sequence.

I guess that's all 8D

Gaara and other Naruto characters (c) Masashi Kishimoto

Naeko (c) Sheba D. Vil