Blood-red hair and turquoise eyes paired with silver moonlight had already something slightly threatening. But it was not the person I had suspected. So I breathed a slight sigh of relief and closed the window. Every movement I made was precisely detected by him. I tried to make my movements as safe as possible, because I didn't want to let my nervousness be noticed. Because despite everything he was dangerous. And I should not underestimate him.

He crouched on my sofa. The sand gourd didn't seem to be here. Strange. What did he want? Playfully calm, I walked across the room and toward the refrigerator. My stomach grumbled slightly. It had been a while since I had eaten. But it was late. Was I really going to...?

„Where's your fear?"

I didn't flinch, having expected him to speak first. His eyes looked coldly at me, trying to read me. But I was not that simple-minded. He would have to make a little more effort. It would take a little more for him to intimidate me.

With drawn legs I sat down on the kitchen sideboard, directly opposite him. Silently I looked into his cold eyes and wondered once again what moved him to show himself to his environment like that. To scare the others like that. Possibly it made him fun. But who scares other people or shinobi for his own pleasure?

Gently, I tilted my head before answering.

„I'm not afraid of you, but I have a high level of respect. You seem to be a strong shinobi," I replied, hoping that he would be content with that answer and get out of the apartment. Which, of course, wasn't the case.

„And in a bizarre way, I find you interesting."

I couldn't believe I had just said that. But somehow it was true. The red-haired boy had been a mystery to me since the first time I had seen him. His behaviour, the aura he exuded. Just everything.

Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow.

„What do you mean?"

There you've got it Tora. Now you've gotten yourself into this. So watch how you pull yourself out of it. I gritted my teeth. What now?

The redhead started to move, got up from the sofa and walked towards me with dragging steps. His gaze hadn't changed all this time and his posture was slightly bent. As if he was ducking away from something. Could it be that? A suspicion sprouted in me.

„You were never really accepted by people in Suna because you were different, weren't you?", I asked quietly, and he actually paused.

„How do you know?"

Threatening and intimidating his voice sounded. Like a dark shadow, he stood before me. Lurking and ready to pounce. But I was not allowed to buckle now. Now I was the one who had to give in a little.

„Because I know this feeling. And I'm not alone with that."

Gaara eyed me. Or rather my eyes. Seemed to want to look for something in you. But what?

„Loneliness is a terrible thing. But even worse is being repelled by the people who should be part of your family. Something that has affected my life a lot."

„Your eyes aren't lonely, though. At least not completely anymore," he replied, not really paying attention to my answer. Still, I decided to answer him.

„Yes. Once they were. For years I lived alone. Had to take care of myself. Never had a real roof over my head." I laughed. However, it sounded hoarse and dusty. Memories of the past began to catch up with me again.

„I certainly know what loneliness means. But I accepted it voluntarily, because in return I was free. And that was the meaning that kept me alive for the last few years. Because you need a meaning to live, don't you?"

My counterpart did not allow a hint of emotion. Stared at me as if frozen in motion.

Finally, he nodded slightly.

„Yes, that's true."

Gobsmacked, I looked at Gaara. He had agreed with me. I would never have expected that from him in my life. Or was it perhaps possible that he had experienced it similarly.

„Just like you, I spent many years of my life in solitude. No one wanted to have anything to do with me. They all feared me because I carry something deep inside me. By my father's order, Shukaku was supposed to live inside me. An old monk who lived in a clay vessel for a long time. I was to be the ultimate weapon for Suna."

He paused as I moved. But when he realized I was just running to the closet to get something, he continued.

„Many times, he tried to kill me to test my own resilience. Never did I get the feeling of love. Neither from my father nor my siblings. Many say that love is the meaning of life, so I also sought one."

A strange expression crept into the redhead's eyes. His body began to tremble, and I mentally reached for something behind me.

„Here."

He froze. Looked at the innocent glass of transparent liquid I was now holding out to him. His hands began to shake uncontrollably, and he clenched them into fists.

Gently I placed the jar in front of him on the sideboard.

„This will help you. It's pleasantly cool."

I smiled slightly and a hint of confusion crept into the redhead's features. Sadness came to me as I looked at him. No pity, though, because I hated it like the plague myself. One immediately felt weak and sick as soon as it was visible in the eyes of other people.

True, he seemed to be very dangerous. From the outside at least. But deep inside he was someone who broke from his loneliness. Even though he kept away from others, I had the feeling that he still longed for something like affection or companionship. That's what every normal person did.

But at the same time, there was a primal distrust in him towards other shinobi because so much bad had been done to him. And I could understand it quite well. I was also very distrustful. It had improved a little since I had become a genin, but still a small part would always remain. Just like my fear of love.

It was strange Gaara seemed to have desired it, while I repelled it. Personally, friendship was enough for me. Love was not a positive feeling for me. It had brought only sorrow and suffering to my mother. That was not allowed to happen with me under any circumstances.

In fact, he reached for the glass and took a few sips before setting it back down.

„Why?"

That one question now hung over our heads. With a burning gaze, he looked at me.

„Because we are alike. And at the same time, so different again," I said softly.

Gaara seemed to know no answer to that and turned away. His gaze wandered restlessly around the room. Hands tightened and loosened. Something seemed to be raging inside him. An inner storm of emotions. Wild and raging. Pleading, I looked up at the ceiling, hoping he wouldn't erupt.

„I'm going to leave now," he said, and I could only manage a nod. What else was I supposed to say. A "goodbye" and "it was nice talking to you" would only be more than inappropriate, after all. No. I was attached to my life. That was going to go on for a while, and even the chunin exam wouldn't change that.

„Tora."

I raised my head when he called me by name.

„You'd better get out of our way during the exam. Because I will show no mercy to you either."

Then he dissolved into sand. What remained was a sandy ground and me.

Alone with my confused thoughts.