Sasuke realized just how mean what he'd just said was. For a few seconds, he wished he could take it back, but Sasuke Uchiha rarely apologized for anything and it was true. Only Naruto really tried to be Gaara's friend and Gaara didn't seem to like him much. Had he hurt Gaara's feelings? No, the redhead didn't have feelings. At least, not visibly. Sasuke glanced at the redhead through wet bangs. He was motionless, just standing there with the power hose. But Sasuke didn't want to look like some jerk who randomly spat out whatever he happened to be thinking at the moment. So he elaborated.
"I mean, come on, does Gaara even like you?"
"Hey! Don't talk like he's not here!" Naruto protested.
"He's not here. Don't you see? He's not paying attention. He's not like you, he doesn't care and he doesn't jump on people for attention."
Gaara was paying attention. He just wasn't speaking. Sasuke was right. He wasn't like Naruto. He wasn't like him. He wasn't like any of them. He'd never really belonged in the same group. That was what Sasuke was hinting at, wasn't it? Why do you even try? Shukaku asked. Shukaku? I haven't heard from you for a long time. Why are you here now? Gaara asked him.
"Gaara? Are you zoning? Or are you ignoring me?"
"That's something you should be used to, Naruto."
"Shut up, Sasuke. Was I talking to you?"
Because you're upset.
I'm not upset.
You are. His comment hurt more than you're willing to admit. And it was just a passing comment. What do you think he really thinks of you? He won't say, because of Naruto, but he doesn't think you're worth the effort. Naruto does, but you know he's an idiot. He just likes to collect friends. You're a challenge to him.
Gaara blinked and wished it wasn't true. But it was. Shukaku was right. The blond was always after friends. He was always talking and laughing and joking with everyone. He was always trying to make new friends and he was definitely a social butterfly. He belonged. He was accepted. He's not like me.
"Gaara, dude are you catatonic or something?"
"You idiot, Gaara doesn't have a cat and why would you bring up something like that now?"
"You're the idiot, Naruto, if you don't know what catatonic means."
Gaara turned on his heel and walked towards the fence. "Gaara, where are you going? Did Sasuke upset you?"
"No."
Sasuke hadn't upset him. He'd just reminded him of something he'd known his whole life.
"Why are you leaving?"
Because I don't belong here.
"I need to go."
"You need to? Why?"
"Because I didn't tell anyone I was staying over."
Gaara didn't mention that no one would care. No, scratch that. His family would care. They would care that he was living with someone else, outside of their reach. They would be worried that he was telling someone the family secret. They would worry that he was getting into trouble. They would worry, all right. Not for his well-being, but for all the liabilities he possessed in the outside world. He didn't mind though. Gaara hoped every night that his father would get in a drunk car crash. So he really wasn't one to judge. If his thoughts were that horrible, then what did it matter if their thoughts were mutual?
"Oh. Yeah. Right. If I've gotten you in trouble, sorry, dude believe it, I wasn't thinking 'bout it," Naruto said, scratching his head. "I was just kind of fooling around, you know?"
Gaara nodded. He unlocked the fence and slipped out. "Hey Gaara?"
The redhead inwardly sighed, but he did look back.
"Thanks for coming."
The way he said it, Gaara wondered if he was saying something else, hidden in those three words. But he couldn't focus right now. His chest was tight again and he knew he was going to have to face his family, so he didn't want to think right now.
But what Gaara didn't know, was that Naruto was thinking:
You're not like the others, Sasuke's right. You're better.
Extremely short. Sorry, this seemed like a good place to stop. And not angsty. I had some angst in mind, but I realized it would be misplaced if I put it here, so I've relocated it. Sorry for disappinting anyone who was expecting an angst-fest. It's coming, I swear. If you review, that is.
