A/N: Thank you very much, every one, for the reviews! Extra thanks for Kikofreako and Perilouslips! I didn't think my story was that good... Heh.


OMG it's Gaara!

Chapter Three: From a different perspective

"Get in!" Both obeyed, and Gaara refused to buckle in again. He was between the two.

"Are you sure it's okay for him to not be buckled in?"

"He's got his automatic sand shield, Gretchen. He should be fine." Riia gave a reassuring smile, but even she wasn't too sure. The car ride to Riia's house was fairly quiet, and they got there in awkward silence. They pulled into the driveway, and Riia leapt out of the car. She pulled Gaara out after her.

"Stop doing that!" Frightened, she released his wrist. Gaara froze. He hadn't meant to scare her. It was just annoying how she kept grabbing him. He reached out to console her. "Um… You okay?" She flushed.

"Yeah… You just scared me, is all. I know how easily you get annoyed… I didn't want you to hurt me."

"I wouldn't…" he muttered, and, flushing as well, turned to go into the house. Gretchen appeared beside Riia.

"Did you see him blush? Oooh, Riia!"

"Stop it, Gretchen!" She grinned, and swatted playfully at her friend. They entered the house. Riia glanced at the clock on the microwave, and stiffened. "Oh! It's almost time for Naruto!" She rushed to the TV, and switched it on. Naruto's theme song played. "Just in time!" Gaara followed her tentatively, not sure if she was still upset. He took a seat on the couch next to her, and watched intently. Gretchen sat down on the couch adjacent to theirs.

"Where are they so far?"

"This episode should be Gaara's fight scene."

"My fight? Where?"

"In the Forest of Death, against the Rain ninja Shigure."

"Oh, him." Gaara chuckled to himself. "That was fun." They were silent then, focusing on the TV. The commercials came on, and Gaara was having fun, seeing his fight from a different perspective. "I knew there were konoha ninja there. I wish Temari and Kankuro'd let me kill them."

"Oh, Gaara-san." Riia smiled at him, and the sand ninja stared at his feet, a slight smile on his face. He was red again. What… is this? "Gaara-san?" He looked up. "What's it like, finding out you're supposed to be imaginary?"

"Um… Jarring."

"I wonder what would happen if I came to your world…" She curled up beside Gaara, head on his shoulder. She closed one eye contentedly, and the redhead's face turned completely red. Gretchen rolled her eyes, and smiled.

Gretchen's mother called about halfway through the special. Riia opened her other eye to watch. "Ask if you can sleep over!" Gretchen did. There was silence, and a small "okay." "So?"

"I can stay over, but my mom needs to bring my stuff, kay?"

"Yeah!" Riia raised a fist triumphantly, almost hitting Gaara in the side of his head. He pushed her arm back down.

"Riia-san. You nearly hit me."

"Sorry." There was that timid voice again, and Gaara felt a pang of guilt. It was silent for the rest of the special, minus Gretchen's mom arriving with all her stuff.

"So," started Gretchen. "Where are we gonna sleep?"

"We could sleep on the couches here."

"But then where would Gaara sleep? … Oh, for the love of God, Riia!" A small little smile had appeared on her face, and she looked away. Then she returned to being serious.

"We can't sleep in the basement. It's too cold."

"But there's more room down there."

"Know what? I wanna keep watching Naruto, so we'll do that, and then whenever we feel like it, we can go downstairs to sleep."

"We need to set up the sleeping bags, tho."

"Right." Riia got up off the couch. "C'mon, Gaara." He followed the two to the basement, where they picked up three sleeping bags, and unrolled them. Riia arranged them slightly in the shape of the Pi symbol. She straightened, hands on her hips. "There." She smiled, and walked back upstairs, friend and sunanin following. The three sat down in the same spots, and continued watching.

At some point, they fell asleep like that, after the special had ended, to the great relief of Riia. Gretchen woke up first. Apparently they had fallen asleep after Riia's mother, for the trio had not been moved. Gretchen glanced over to Riia, and stiffened.

Riia had fallen asleep on Gaara's lap, and Gaara had apparently not made any attempt to remove her, for his hand was rested consolingly on her head. He looked up at her, and nodded a greeting. A small smile appeared on her face, and she got up. Gretchen plodded into the kitchen for a glass of water, and glanced at the microwave clock. 6:43 in the morning. Not too early, but not too late. Early enough that Gretchen was the only one awake.

"Gaara, give 'em back!" Riia had woken up, and Gaara had decided to take her glasses, for whatever reason. He had them balancing on the tip of his finger, and held Riia back with his other hand. He was smiling, though it was more innocently mischievous. "Come on! I need those to see!"

"Fine, okay." He set them down on the coffee table, and stood up. Riia's head fell onto the couch, still having been on Gaara's leg, and she snatched up her glasses, and put them on. Riia's face was full of mock anger. "Don't do that, Gaara! Please?"

"Kay." He rolled his eyes. "I'm hungry." Riia's face brightened.

"Hold on!" She rushed to the fridge. "You only eat meat, right?"

"Yes." Riia rummaged around in the fridge.

"Unfortunately, I can't cook meat without my mom… How bout some waffles?"

"Waffles?"

"You don't know what waffles are?" Exclaimed Gretchen.

"I'll make you one, see if you like it." Gaara stood next to Riia as she got out the waffle iron and some pre-made batter. She spooned it out onto the iron, and closed it. Then she turned to Gaara. "Now we wait. Gretchen, should I make some for you?"

"Sure!" The waffles were done in several minutes, and Riia put two plates onto the table, with two waffles each.

"You're not having any?" asked Gaara.

"Not hungry," Riia said. Gaara hesitated, and then stuck a fork into the waffle. He tore off a piece, and stuck it in his mouth. Gaara's face turned to a startled expression. "You like it?"

Gaara didn't need to answer, he was busy wolfing down the waffles. Riia paused his fork halfway to his mouth.

"Not so fast. You could get sick." She smiled, forgetting Gretchen was right there. Gretchen had frozen. The bit of waffle fell off her fork, and Gaara glared at her.

"What?" Gretchen seemed to be at a loss for words.

"RIIA MADE LOVEY EYES AT GAARA!" She fell off her chair, exploding with laughter. Both Gaara and Riia blushed furiously.

"Stop that!" Riia clawed the air in front of her friend, playfully. What happened next was completely unintentional. The sand in Gaara's gourd burst into the open, and mimicked Riia's actions. The house became deathly silent.

Riia spoke first. "I CONTROLLED GAARA'S SAND! AAAH!" She collapsed onto the floor, spasms wracking her body. Gaara picked up the uncontrollably shaking girl, and glared at her.

"Stop. That. Right. Now." Riia obeyed, and went limp in Gaara's arms. Gaara set her down. "Explain to me what happened right there."

"I… I can't! I just made clawy motions in the air and it followed me!" She put on a pained expression. Gaara looked around for something crushable. He found a pen.

"Wrap the sand around it."

"Eh…" Riia pointed at the pen. Nothing happened. She felt like an idiot. Gaara opened his gourd and dumped some sand beside the pen.

"Now try." She made a claw hand at the pen, like Gaara had in his fight with the Rain ninja. The sand jerked, and Riia strained to remember what else Gaara had done to make the sand cover the rain Nin.

'Oh!" She made a fist with her other hand, then put two fingers up, and focused on the sand. Slowly, it twisted around the pen, and eventually enveloped it.

"Now see if you can use sabakusôsô." Riia clenched her fist, and the sand tightened, but nothing happened otherwise. "Release it," said Gaara, deep in thought. Riia relaxed, and the sand fell off of the pen.

Gretchen went up to Riia.

"What just happened there?"

"I controlled Gaara's sand!"

"Riia, you could be a ninja!" Gretchen placed emphasis on ninja, reminding Riia of all the times she'd mimicked a ninja's actions in a very comical way, usually rushing forward, arm outstretched, saying 'Imma Ninja! Whoosh!' Riia didn't catch it.

"I really could!" She clasped her hands together, and smiled broadly. Gaara was off in the corner, still thinking. Riia ran up to him. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"About you using my sand." Then Riia heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Put your sand away!" she hissed. "It's my mom!" Gaara did, just before Riia's mom appeared.

"You three want any breakfast?"

"We already had some, Mom."

"Okay." She smiled, and went about fixing herself some English muffins.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Riia?"

"Can I have Sam, Amy, and Cathryn over too?"

"I don't see why not."

"Yay!" Riia picked up the phone, and dialed Cathryn first.