Chapter 2

Naruto had asked for adventure hadn't he? Or at least something exciting to happen. Well it had happened, in the form of an old acquaintance who had just happened to be a psycho. Somehow the fox boy didn't feel the shock or thrill he should have, nor the fear. The boy just turns up, giving Naruto his break from the ordinary and a bit of a fright as well. Yet he felt nothing. Maybe it was post traumatic stress he was waiting for. That had to be it! So Naruto sat down to wait for the inevitable stress to come.

Waiting...waiting...waiting...stomach growling...

'Then I suppose I should really move those comics. I DON'T want to piss him off.'

He was already in enough peoples' bad books.

So the naïve little Naruto hopped along the hall to Gaara's closet and knocked politely. Or as politely as Naruto could muster.

"Yoohoo. Gaara. Psst. You in there?" Hesitantly the boy his the door with his fist a couple times, waiting for an answer.

Gingerly, Naruto opened the door to a rather interesting scene. Gaara was sitting on the floor, engaging in what seemed to a death-glare staring match with the comics on the floor.

"Umm, Gaara, what are yo-"

"Why do you own comics about ninjas if you already are a ninja?...And why is it called Naruto?"

Naruto walked over to where Gaara was sitting and looked at the manga on the floor. "Oh, those? I haven't looked at those for years. I bought them before I became a ninja – I thought that they were really cool. And who wouldn't want a comic that has the same name as them?"

"If you hadn't looked at them for years why don't you throw them out? You are an idiot, and a narcissistic one at that." With that, Gaara's mouth quirked in what might, for him, pass as what could possibly, maybe be a smirk.

Naruto looked a little taken back at this, but then grinned. "Yeah, I guess you're right!" he said as he started to laugh.

Looking back at the fox the Sand Nin realized the other boy grinning. Not quivering in fear, nor shaking in anger. The other boy was laughing, not at him either. This was new. He, Gaara, the spook from the sands was being welcomed by a large grin.

But was this an improvement?

In a way, not being feared and hated was a breath of fresh air. But somehow being befriended like this reeked of betrayal. Betraying his way of life. He enjoyed having peoples' fear, their full attention, power over them. Immediately his face returned to its stoic medium and he turned back to his "room."

Naruto was left wondering what had just happened. One moment the other ninja seemed to be warming up to him, but then, in an instant, he was as distant as ever again. Was exactly was going on in that boy's mind?

Unsure and knowing it mind take some brain power and, heaven forbid, some patience, he decided to do what he always did.

Eat Ramen.

Besides, dinnertime was near and though the fox hadn't seen Gaara all afternoon, he was fairly sure the other boy hadn't eaten. Naruto felt bad about giving the Sand Nin just a large closet to use as a room. He would have gladly used it instead but, if there was one thing he had learnt from any previous encounters with Gaara, it was that it was wisest not to argue with him. Most people who argue with Gaara no longer walk among the living.

Naruto eased the kettle full of water back onto the stove and it up to a medium heat. It wasn't as if Gaara slept though. I mean, he was just going to keep extra supplies and clothes in there. But where did Gaara go at night? What did he do? Naruto began to get more and more paranoid just thinking about Gaara sneaking around his house at night. Naruto's hands crept up to his throat and his swallowed hard.

PPPHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPP!

Ack! Naruto jumped high and landed on the table, searching desperately for the source of the sudden noise. Then he spotted the kettle, squeaking innocently to inform him of the boiled water. The fox boy heaved another sigh and walked over to the black pot. Gently lifting it he gingerly began to pour the scalding water into the Styrofoam cups of Ramen. Just then a monotone voice spoke behind him.

"What's that?"

"Oh, Shit!" Naruto screamed as hot water gave his poor arm a 3rd degree burn. Naruto ran over the sink to put his arm under the marginally colder water as Gaara looked blankly at him. After the cooling liquid had dissipated the immediate pain, the blonde turned to glare at the other boy. Anger rose in his chest. How dare he just look on, not seeming to feel anything. Was Gaara really that cold? Even Sasuke would have asked him is he was alright, even if he would have added 'dunce' to the end of the sentence.

"Aren't you even going to pretend to be concerned?" Naruto shouted. He hated being ignored. It was his pet peeve, he even would have preferred Gaara to get angry at him for his clumsiness than this...this utter non-caringness.

"Why would I?"

Naruto stopped the outcry in his head. This was unexpected, a surprise. He didn't know. Why would Gaara pretend to care?

"Because it's polite, Jerk."

"Why does it matter if I'm polite?"

"Cause it makes me happier."

"Why do I care if you're happy?"

Honestly he had no answer to that. No-one cared why would Gaara care if Naruto was happy. Though, just as the blonde headed boy was going to walk down that depressing mental path again the Ninja from the Sand opened his mouth again.

"What were you making?" Suddenly adopting the changing topic Naruto looked over to the counter and grinned goofily, as if proud what would have been his greatest master piece..

"Well it was going to be ramen..." he began to explain.

"I'm sorry I ruined your ramen."

Naruto didn't understand, he just didn't understand. First the boy in front of him didn't care Naruto was in pain and then he said sorry for something irrelevant to most people. Who cares about Naruto's ramen? No one. So why did Gaara? But...

Never the less, it was nice.

A/N: Sorry that's shorter...