Pairings: None at the beginning, but final pairing is SasuNaru, there will be some GaaNaru and there may be other pairings with Naruto throughout the story.

Warnings: Shonen-ai (boy x boy love) at first and then when the characters are older it will become yaoi, so there will be homosexual pairings in this story. If this bothers you then please don't read this story. Mature content, crude language, cursing and sexual references are in this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters. This story is a work of fiction based on the Naruto manga and anime series.

I rewrote Chapter One of this story because it really needed it. An anonymous reviewer suggested it and I agreed with their suggestion. It was a big rewrite, but doesn't affect the other chapters really, although it does provide more information.

Thoughts and dreams are represented by italics.

Chapter Six - Friendship

After Naruto had told Gaara the story that his father had related to him in a dream, the two boys left the room and went downstairs to find something eat.

Gaara is a really good listener! He didn't even ask many questions. All he asked me was how long was I was going to stay in my henge and when I was going to let other people know what I could do. Too bad that I don't even know the answers to those questions myself. Naruto was glad that he now had Gaara to hang out with. The red head was the only person he felt he could relate to. That could really understand him.

Naruto is so interesting. He smiles a lot too. I've never met anyone that smiles as much as he does. He makes me feel less lonely. I don't even have the urge to kill anyone right now. Gaara looked at his only friend as they entered the dining area. I think this is what being happy must feel like. Gaara would have smiled at his friend, but he noticed that they weren't alone anymore.

"Hey Naruto!" Chouji had been the only one at his table to see Naruto enter. He didn't know who the red-haired Sand nin was, but he was curious about why he would be with the blond.

The others that were sitting with him at the table, included Shikamaru, Ino, Sakura, Hinata, Shino and Kiba. When Kiba and his team mates saw the red head, they froze in fear.

Please don't come sit at our table! Kiba was chanting this over and over again in his head.

Hinata felt fear that the murderous Sand nin was standing near her crush, Naruto. I hope he doesn't hurt Naruto!

Shino was contemplating whether to leave right then and go back up to his room.

Naruto looked over and saw the others after he heard Chouji's greeting. "Hey Chouji! Hey guys!"

"Who's your new friend, Naruto?" Chouji asked without knowing that some at his table were now screaming at him in their heads.

Naruto looked at Gaara and smiled. "This is my friend, Gaara. We're both starving and wanted to eat." Naruto then headed over to the food buffet that was located at the opposite side of the room from his other friends. Gaara followed behind him.

While Naruto and Gaara were filling their plates with food, Shino and Kiba took the opportunity to leave.

"See you guys later." Kiba said this quickly as he rushed out the door.

Shino had already left right before without saying good bye.

Hinata wished she could leave too, but she didn't want to leave Naruto while the red head was still there. I must find a way to warn Naruto-kun about his new friend.

Sakura and Ino were busy arguing about Sasuke and didn't notice the tension that had been in the air.

Shikamaru had noticed though. He had seen the fear in Kiba's eyes and the behavior of him and Shino was suspicious. He also noticed that Hinata seemed paler than normal. I wonder if something happened between that Sand nin and their team in the forest. Maybe they fought?

Naruto asked Gaara if he wanted to sit with his friends or sit alone at their own table.

"If you don't mind, I'd rather we sit alone."

"Okay, Gaara. Whatever you are comfortable with." Naruto found an empty table that was a little away from his friends and sat down.

Gaara sat down next to him.

Chouji looked at Shikamaru. "I wonder why they won't sit with us?"

"I have no idea, maybe they want to talk alone."

"I was hoping to find out more about that Gaara guy. He looks a little strange, but Naruto called him a friend so he must not be that bad." Chouji then started eating again.

"Yes, I'm curious about that Gaara too. Maybe we can find out more about him later." I want to know why Kiba, Shino and Hinata seem to fear him. It's so troublesome.

After Naruto and Gaara had finished eating, Naruto said good bye to the others and then both boys went back up to Naruto's room to talk a little more.

"You know, I think Sasuke really wants to fight you, Gaara. I think he sees you as being really strong."

"He has eyes like I used to have."

"What do you mean?"

"He wants to kill someone."

"Sasuke's not a killer, Gaara! He can be mean sometimes and glare at people but I really don't think he's all that bad." Except for being a bastard sometimes.

"It's what I see when I look in his eyes. It could be that he only wants to kill one person."

The Wave Country mission, I remember what he said then. "Well, he did tell me that he wanted to kill his brother. He told that to me when he and I both thought he was going to die on a mission we were on. I don't know why he wants to do that though. He never told me that. He's not one for sharing things about himself."

The Uchiha wants to kill his own brother? Well there were times when I wanted to kill mine. Even my sister. But I'm glad now that I didn't. I'm not sure I want to kill anyone anymore. I would do it to save Naruto though.

There was a knock on the door. Naruto got up and went to his door and opened it.

"Old man! Why did you take so long to come and see me!" Naruto was happy that the Third Hokage had finally shown up. But he was a little peeved that it took him all day to do it.

The Hokage smiled down at the blond. "Hello Naruto, are you going to make me stand out in the hall?"

"Oh, no, come in!" Naruto moved aside and let the Hokage walk into the room.

The old man saw Gaara sitting in a chair. He smiled at the boy. "Well hello there. Naruto, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Naruto walked over and stood beside the old man. "This is Gaara. Gaara this is the Hokage."

"Hello." Gaara greeted the man but without any emotions showing on his face.

Hmm, another Sasuke. The Hokage smiled at Gaara again. "It's nice to meet you, young man."

"Um, I don't have any other chairs in my room, you can sit beside me on the bed, can't you old man?"

Gaara got up from his chair to offer it to the Hokage.

"No, no, sit back down, young man. I can sit with Naruto on his bed. I'm sure it is comfortable enough." The Hokage waved at Gaara and sat beside Naruto on the bed and then looked at the blond. "Now what was so important that you needed to see me during the exams?"

"I had a dream of my father and he told me the truth about him and my mother. I know about the Amarutsu clan and it's bloodline limit."

The old man was shocked and stared at Naruto with surprise all over his face. "Shouldn't you wait till your friend leaves before we discuss this further?"

"No, I already told Gaara everything. So what you say to me, he won't repeat to anyone. I trust him."

The Hokage looked at Gaara. Gaara nodded to him. Then the old man sighed and looked back at Naruto. "That dream you had, you wouldn't have had it unless something happened to the fox's chakra."

"Well me, Sasuke and Sakura were attacked by this man that looked like a snake and he put some kind of extra seal on me that blocks me from being able to use the fox's chakra."

"Looked like a snake?" Could this have been Orochimaru?

"Yeah, he summoned snakes and could even transform himself into some kind of half snake himself."

"Alright, so what happened after he put that seal on you?"

"Well, my appearance changed. My father told me in the dream that he put some kind of kinjutsu on me when I was a baby that made me look different."

"Then why do you look the way you always looked, now?"

"Oh! Well I'm in an henge right now."

Hmm, he must have the Seichuu Chakra bloodline limit already, because I am unable to tell that he is using a henge. "So you have the bloodline limit?"

"Yes I do. I've been able to do a lot of things I could never do before. But I wanted to talk to you about my parents, old man. What was my mother like?"

The Sandaime smiled. "She was very beautiful and a very loving person. Everyone she met, loved her."

"They did?"

"Yes. I think your father fell in love with her as soon as he met her. He used to follow her around like a puppy all the time." The old man laughed.

"What about my father? What was he like?"

"Well, you remind me of him a lot. When he was young he liked to play pranks on people too. But he also was a caring man. He would do anything for his village and the people he cared about." The Hokage had a sad smile on his face now. "I miss him and your mother a lot. They both died so young."

Naruto felt sadness then too. I wish I could see my father again. And I want to see my mother too. I wish I could have grown up with them.

Gaara saw the sadness on his friend's face and wished there was something he could do to make him feel better. His own mother died when he was born. His father was still alive, but he hated Gaara and had tried to kill him many times.

"Well, any more questions, young man?"

Naruto looked up. "How long do I have to keep hiding who I am?"

"Hmm, well you are older now. But I'm concerned about that man that attacked you and your team. I don't know if it would be wise right now for him to know the truth about you. I think I know who he is and he's a very dangerous man."

"Who is it?"

"I think he is Orochimaru."

"That name sounds familiar! Oh, he is the one that ordered the Sound team to kill Sasuke."

"How do you know this?"

"Well I overheard them saying it and they attacked us."

"I suppose your team won the fight?"

Naruto laughed. "Yeah you should have been there! I used a huge wave of chakra that I pushed out of my body and threw it right at them. Took them down easy." Naruto was grinning.

"I wish I had seen that." The Hokage grinned back at him. He's already learning how to use his new skills in different ways. But he's exposing himself by doing it. "Naruto, can you wait a little longer before you let any more people know the truth about you?"

"I guess, but it's so frustrating knowing I can't be who I really am."

"It won't be for very much longer. Let's wait till the Chuunin Exams are over and then we will start to let others know. Will that be alright with you?"

"Okay. If you think I should wait till then, I will. Just not any longer than that!" Naruto didn't want to pretend any longer than he had to.

"Alright, well I need to go now, Naruto. I have some important things I have to do. I'll talk with you again soon." The Hokage got up from the bed.

Naruto stood up too. "Okay, good night." Then he hugged the old man.

The Hokage hugged him back and then when Naruto let go of him he turned to face Gaara. "It was nice meeting you, Gaara. Maybe next time we meet, we can talk."

"Good night, Hokage-sama." Gaara showed respect to the Hokage now. He saw how Naruto cared about the old man and the man cared about Naruto too.

The Hokage smiled at Gaara and then headed to the door.

Naruto walked behind him and when the old man had left, he shut the door. Then he turned to look at Gaara.

"Gaara, you should go to bed now. This will be the first night you get to sleep. You should be wanting to enjoy that."

I want to stay here. I don't want to go back to my empty room. I don't feel like talking to Temari or Kankuro right now either. I'm too tired to take the time to explain to them about why I can sleep now. "I want to sleep here tonight."

Huh? Well the bed is big enough I think. Maybe he's too tired to walk all the way to his room. "Well, okay but we'll have to sleep in our underclothes because I don't want us to get the sheets dirty."

"Okay."

Naruto and Gaara both undressed down to their undershirts and boxers. Naruto pulled the covers down and then got into the bed and moved over enough to leave room for his friend.

Gaara turned off the light and then got into the bed and laid down next to Naruto.

"Good night Gaara."

"Good night Naruto."

Both soon fell asleep, one of them for the first time in many years.

TBC