Hello again to everybody out there! Thank you to those who keep reviewing for me, it makes me feel better and get more of a drive to continue to write. Without you I might just make a whole bunch of rough drafts and never post them so only I would know the story. But I like sharing with people so I don't think you'll have to worry too much. Sorry can't sound perky because it's early and I just woke up… Well enough of me though, on with the show!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…. Sasuke does ;P

Narutoella

Green Apple

-Naruto's POV-

Walking out of the castle was our still agitated blond. Grumbling about rude nobles, evil castles and senile old people. Trudging along he took some of the back roads to get to the market. Today has been such a hectic day. Sighing he gave up trying to figure out why all these 'misfortunes' seemed to always happen to him. As he continued to walk onto the main market street, he didn't realized that he left his hood off. Walking in broad daylight without something to hide his uncanny features only announced one thing. OPEN TARGET.

Luckily though he was not noticed until he approached the old lady's stand. She sat in awe at his full features being presented in the middle of the street, unhearing his words as he began to 'have a word' with her.

"Old lady! What were you thinking! How could you just forget how to get to the castle kitchen when the directions were so easy? You sent me on a wild goose chase. That was so embarrassing!" The blonde teen ranted throwing his hands in the air to emphasis his frustration.

"…umm… young lord…" the old lady tried to mumble quietly and started to pick up his basket and hand it to him, for she had noticed the attention he was drawing to himself. The kids on the street began to take notice of the loud mouth kid and his noticeable appearance. There wouldn't be much time for him go get away if he didn't notice quickly.

"What is it baachan? You look pale. Are you okay? Are you sick?" Naruto's features changed from frustrated to worried. He hoped he didn't upset the old bird. But all he can see was her hand that was pointing at his head. 'What in the world is she pointing at? Do I have something on my face?' Then the boy proceeded to smear at his face to wipe off all that might've been on it?

"Did I get it baachan? Was there something on my face?" He asked innocently.

"…No… young lord," she was starting to shake and her hands were starting to point at him more feverantly. She then whispered, "…your…. hood…!..."

'My hood?" reaching up he automatically and felt where his hood was. Or at least where it should've been. When he only touched his own spiky hair he wore a confused look on his face. Then suddenly it dawned on him, "I don't have my hood on… wait… what? I don't… have… my…" The panic he started to feel bleed into his eyes as they took on a shocked expression. He was out in the open and everyone could see him. Slowly he turned his eyes to look behind him, ever so slowly. Only to find three boys walking 'casually' closer, with there eyes intent on him.

He then slowly turned back towards her as if he didn't notice the approaching boys. He pretended that he was still conversing with the old lady as he nonchalantly picked up his food supplies and tied them tight inside his basket to make sure they wouldn't fall out. He knew what was going to happen and he got in trouble last time for bruising some apples he bought. Then, as the adolescents drew within twenty feet he waved goodbye and walked towards the nearest alleyway. The three boys continued to tail him.

Naruto could still hear his steps and tried to keep a calm walking when his heart started racing like there was no tomorrow. 'Just a little bit more. Just into the alleyway. Please oh please don't let anyone try to slow me down.' He paced down to the corner of the closest alleyway and began to turn. The second he knew he was out of street sight he took off as fast as he could. At first he couldn't hear anything but his own footsteps as he sprinted to where he thought was home.

Then he heard a shout and more running steps. 'Oh crap! At least I got a head start on them. Dammit, I don't usually go down this way. I think I may be lost. But I believe home is somewhere this direction. Since everything doesn't look familiar I guess I'll just have to take a chance!" Sprinting as fast as he could he started to distance himself. 'Sometimes I love my mothe… my 'mistress' for giving me so many chores. I can still outrun them. And these tunnels really help. Sometimes there close enough to switch without changing my direction. As long as I don't run into a… dead… end…'

Naruto had to eat his own words as, lo and behold, he ran into a dead end. It was not just any dead end. It was a dead end with stone walls about ten feet high on every side. But suddenly he found himself distracted by the oddest of occurrences. There was another boy sitting on the wall. His hair was bright red, he wore clothes of black and had a tattoo on his forehead that said love (no gourd! XP) under a tree that had interlaced roots in the walls. The kid had a scary look on his face, as if he was disturbed and despised everyone around him. Giving Naruto a hard look that told him to back off scared the boy to retreat a couple steps. 'He doesn't really seem like a nice person. Maybe he already knows about me… Oh shit! Today totally sucks!'

Just as Naruto was going to retreat away from the dead end he heard distance footsteps getting closer. The shouts of the pursuing kids were getting clearer. Panicking Naruto forgot his fear of the glaring redhead and raced to the wall near him. The blond then hoisted himself up the roots that where in the wall. This thoroughly confused the tense green eyed boy as Naruto then jumped over the wall. On the other side of the wall the ground was a lot higher. The wall only seemed to be about two and a half feet from the ground on the other side.

'No wonder the kid didn't have a problem being up here. This must be part of his yard' Looking at previous said boy, Naruto took a closer inspection. He was in the shade of the tree to his right and still stared unyieldingly. He was actually pretty handsome for a boy's standard. Not that Naruto was 'looking or anything'. The boy seemed to want to say something but was at a loss for words. Naruto just grinned at him and that confused the boy to no end. Then suddenly the footsteps rounded the corner and reached the dead end Naruto was just in.

Naruto suddenly remembered why he was there in the first place. 'Oh crap! Just for a second I forgot what was going on! Oh please don't tell them please don't tell them!' Naruto was chanting in his head as he looked pleadingly at the other boy. The redhead simply glared at Naruto, then slightly shifted his gaze to the three boys.

-Gaara's POV-

'What the hell' Were all the words that Gaara could think off as this blond boy came out of nowhere, jumped over his wall and seemed to be asking him not to tell these other three boys who wondered down his alleyway. Agitated at all these strange occurrences, he simply wished them to all go away and leave him in peace.

"Hey, you up there!" 'Are they talking to me?' "Did a blond kid run around here anytime today?"

The redhead pondered this for a moment. 'They want to know where this kid is right. Well what the hell, it has nothing to do with me and I want them to all go away so…' The redhead was about to open his mouth to tell the kid where the blond one was when suddenly.

"Hello! Could you hurry up already? We don't have all day you know!" Gaara visibly tensed. 'No one tells me what to do!" He then proceeded to give a malicious glare at the ones who dared to command him. The boys all stopped talking in mid-sentence. Subconsciously they slow began to back away. Then the spiteful redhead spat venomously, "Get out of here now or I'll KILL you!"

These short, yet affective, words sent the three sprinting the other way as fast as they could. They all swore in their heads to never go down that guy's alleyway again.

The hiding kid sighed in relief. Gaara was yet again sent into confusion. 'He must have heard how nasty I sounded and yet he sits there unfazed. Who is this boy?' He then continued to gaze up on the boy, waiting for him to say something because sure in hell wasn't. 'I've said enough for today.'

Naruto for now had been saved! He was so joyous he didn't even pick up how vicious his savior was. He just knew that he was saved! Breathing a sigh of relief he sat there for a moment to let his heart slow down. This had been a very stressful day for the blonde.

-Naruto's POV-

'Shit today was such a cruddy day! I am so glad it's almost over with' standing up from where he was hiding he leaned with his elbowed propped up against the wall. "Hey, thanks for the assist. Much obliged." Naruto grinned at the mysterious redhead. He still hadn't spoken a word since he yelled at those guys. "Well I'm Naruto. What's your name?" A few more moments passed without another word being spoken, but the unrelenting stare remained. 'Gez! This guy really isn't the talking type huh.. I've been running into a lot of those lately.' He pondered as he was thinking about earlier that day. Starting to feel awkward, the blond decided to break the silence.

"So do you stay here? Or is this your own special little hang out spot?" Naruto grinned at his own comment but all that seemed to produce was a twitching eye from the boy. Sighing, he finally gave up trying to strike up a conversation deeming it futile. 'Oh I know!' Hitting one fist on the other palm he then reached into his basket and pulled out a green apple, quickly tossed to Gaara.

"Here, catch!" The apple was chucked and Gaara caught it reflexively, not even knowing what the offending object was. Once in hand, the red head stared at a green apple. Still confused he still continued to stare for the longest time without saying a word. 'Oooops! I'm not even sure if he even likes apples, but come on. They're apples! I have never met anyone who didn't like apples!'

"Well, umm, I guess I'll be going now." Hoping down from the wall and Naruto proceeded to retrace his steps to the exit.

Gaara's -POV-

Unable to make out any of this he simply stared the green apple. 'What? Why did he give me this?' Totally confused by the boys motives he continued to ponder all the happenings that progressed between them. No one has ever given him anything without expecting something in return. 'It makes no sense. Money? Influence? Death wish?' For the life of him, Gaara could not tell why the blonde was acting so nonchalant. So caught up in his thoughts, he didn't even notice the boy called Naruto jump off the wall and start walk until he turned around to wave and said 'Bye!'.

Gaara quickly turned to see the receding body of the strangest and bizarre person he has ever met in his entire life. Without completely thinking over it he responded with in a mono tone, but loud enough voice to be heard.

"Gaara."

Naruto had heard him but turned around just to make sure he wasn't crazy. They stared at each other for a few more seconds that day. Then Gaara decided to speak again.

"My name is Gaara." And that's all he said. Yet to his surprise the boy grinned wide enough to split his face.

"Well see you later Gaara!" With one more wave the blonde left leaving the green-eyed youth gazing at the black tunnel which the boy entered and disappeared. Then switching to glance at the apple still in his hand.

'Ah! I get it' Gaara threw up the apple a few times before taking a bit and chewing it. A smirk started to form on his face as he spared one last look towards the city and turned walking away to his home. 'It is what they call…'

'A Gift.'

To be cont.

Author's Note

I am evil! Mwahahahaha! I was thinking of adding another part to it but it seemed terrific place to stop. I'm somewhat dissatisfied with my work on this so far. It seems to become more realistic… I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing. It's not as humorous as I intended so far but I guarantee that I have some hilarious turns on their rollercoaster ride! Mwahahahahaha! Well please review as much as you want because you are the ones that drive me to the next chapter!

Laterz from

Me (aivivi)