Thanks to Axel0913 for the review.

I shall be going on vacation soon, so I may or may not have internet access, which means I may or may not update again until August. Fingers crossed that I will be able to at least update once more before then...

All characters belong to Kishimoto-san.

Chapter 15: Those Who Suffer Together

Surprisingly, Kakashi was early to homeroom today. He was sitting at his desk as his students slowly trickled in, reading what looked suspiciously like the same book he had been reading for the past few days.

Gaara didn't mind, though. It had nothing to do with him. He kept his face neutral—or what he assumed was neutral—and automatically sat down at a random desk. Like mindless minions, his siblings sat near him.

It was not long, however, before Uzumaki Naruto showed up in the classroom, breathless.

"Am I late?" Naruto yelled. "I'm not late, am I, dattebayo?"

Kakashi calmly looked up from his book. "You're still on time, Naruto-kun."

Naruto stared at him. "Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here?"

"I'm your homeroom teacher," Kakashi stated. "Where else would I be?"

Naruto scowled. "You're always late, though!"

"I was only late twice," Kakashi reminded him. "Today is the third day."

Naruto huffed and took a seat directly next to Gaara as the bell rang. He was the only student to do so, as the seats near Gaara were mostly empty.

"Hey, Gaara!" Naruto greeted loudly.

Kakashi sighed as he stood up from his desk. "Naruto, if you would hold your conversations after I finish attendance?"

Naruto made a face at him, and Gaara was only slightly shocked Kakashi did not punish him for such disrespect. It may have been his fourth day in Konohagakure, but Gaara was quickly getting used to the behaviors of the Konohagakure citizens.

After Kakashi finished attendance, Naruto continued where he left off.

"So, Gaara," Naruto said, "What club did you end up joining? I couldn't find you yesterday, though I did see Kankuro."

Kankuro scoffed. "'See' is an understatement; more like you ran into me and begged me for Gaara's location."

"I did not!" Naruto protested indignantly. "All I did was ask you where Gaara was!"

Kankuro rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man."

"Anyways, did you join the fight club?" Naruto asked, leaning forward eagerly.

"Yes," Gaara replied calmly.

"Yeah, that's right!" Naruto exclaimed, raising his hand up in the air. Gaara stared at it, uncertain of what to do. It looked like Naruto was expecting him to do something.

"No high-five?" Naruto asked, looking disappointed.

Gaara frowned and raised his own hand to meet the other boy's. It was late, but at least he had done it, and Naruto grinned, returning to his usual cheerful attitude.

"The fight club's the best," Naruto announced. "There's no other club that's better, dattebayo. I'm glad you joined, Gaara!"

Gaara nodded and looked at his hand in wonder. A day had passed since the incident on the first day of school, and, while most students avoided the youngest son of the Kazekage, Uzumaki Naruto acted like nothing had happened. He was still excited to be Gaara's friend, even willing to go so far as to high-five him. People did not normally touch the Kazekage's heir so casually.

"Hey, let's hang out during lunch," Naruto suggested. "You should come find me, or I'll go find you, dattebayo. Where are you during lunch, anyways?"

"I will find you," Gaara promised. "You will be at the same table?"

Naruto nodded. "Yup. You better come find me, dattebayo! Or else I'll go find you!"

If any other person had said that, Gaara would have seen it as a threat of some sort. However, this was Uzumaki Naruto, and he was an interesting person indeed.

.

As her students walked into first period, Kurenai had them pull out a slip of paper from a jar.

Naruto stared suspiciously at his paper as he sat down at the front, where his permanent seat was.

Gaara decided to sit next to him, and unfolded his own slip of paper. There was a number: 17. On the board, Gaara noticed a list of paired numbers, with a name next to each pair. Matching his number on the board, Gaara discovered he was with number 24 and "Shimura".

"Hey, why am I number twenty-two?" Next to Gaara, Naruto was whining about his number as he scrutinized the board. "It says Uchiha! Why am I being grouped with that teme?"

"Chill, Naruto." It was Inuzuka Kiba, one of Naruto's friends, and the only other student in Kurenai's first period class who was forced to sit in the front. "Too bad I'm not number five. Instead, I'm seven. That means I've got 'Uzumaki.'"

Kiba let out a laugh. "Isn't that your clan, Naruto?"

"Hey, why can't I be Uzumaki, dattebayo?" Naruto protested. "Why am I Uchiha?"

"Please quiet down, Naruto-kun," Kurenai said as the bell rang. She gestured to the board and the list on it.

"As you can see, I have paired each of you with another student in this class. The two of you will be researching a Konohagakure clan, as written on the board. As I call you and your pair up to the front, I will be handing each of you a packet that you are to use as the basis of your project." Kurenai held up one of the packets on her desk as an example. "The project is due in three weeks, on September 12, and you and your partner will be presenting your project the following days after. The order of the presentations is on the board. Any questions?"

Naruto raised his hand and Kurenai wearily called on him. "Yes, Naruto-kun?"

"Can't I switch with someone else?" Naruto said. "I don't want to research the Uchiha!"

Kurenai ignored him. "Any other questions that aren't related to switching topics, partners, or presentation dates?"

When no one else raised their hand, Kurenai continued. "This is supposed to be a simple project, so you don't need to put too much effort into it. The presentation should be about five to ten minutes long, and must answer all the questions in your packet, which will be turned in on the day of your presentation. You will only have the rest of this week to work on it in class."

She picked up the first two packets, which Gaara noticed were only a few pages thick, and called out the first pair. "Number one, and thirteen."

"Hey, what number did you get?" Naruto asked as Kurenai continued calling out pairs.

"Seventeen," Gaara replied.

"Oh," Naruto frowned. "Who did I end up with then? Who is number five? Is it Shikamaru?"

It was not long before Naruto found out; Kurenai asked for numbers five and twenty-two, and Naruto jumped out of his seat as he saw who his partner was.

A pale boy with black hair was already standing next to Kurenai, the packet in his hands. Naruto walked up to him.

"You're my partner?" Naruto protested. "Aren't you that one rude kid in my homeroom class?"

Kurenai sighed and handed a packet to Naruto. "Please be polite, Naruto-kun."

Naruto scowled and accepted his assignment. He grudgingly offered a hand to his new partner. "I'm Uzumaki—"

"Naruto," the boy replied. "Uzumaki Naruto. I know who you are. I am Sai."

Naruto's scowl deepened, displeased that he was interrupted. "Oh, okay. Well, then, Sai, I guess we're partners for this project, dattebayo."

Sai smiled as he sat down at a desk near Naruto's. "Yes, we are."

Naruto sat down at his desk, still glaring at Sai, who merely smiled. Gaara wondered why Naruto was so friendly to him, but not to Sai.

"Numbers seven and twenty."

Gaara watched as Inuzuka Kiba stood up, looking around the classroom for his partner, who turned out to be Yamanaka Ino.

"Kiba," Ino greeted and Kiba shrugged.

"I could do worse for a partner," Kiba said. He jerked his thumb in Naruto's direction. "Turns out we have to research this knucklehead's family."

Next up was numbers nine and fifteen. Akimichi Chouji was number fifteen, and his partner was some girl Gaara did not know. The two of them were assigned the Sarutobi, which Gaara remembered was the current Hokage's clan.

Finally, it was Gaara's turn as Kurenai asked for numbers seventeen and twenty-four.

Gaara got up slowly and approached the teacher's desk. Someone followed close behind him, at the same slow pace, and Gaara looked to see Nara Shikamaru, who was avoiding his gaze.

The two boys received their packets and took seats near Naruto.

"So," Shikamaru started, viewing his packet with disinterest. "We're researching the Shimura clan?"

Gaara nodded and Shikamaru sighed, his head resting on one of his hands.

"Let's get started."

.

After history with Kurenai, Gaara had algebra II with Ebisu. Unlike his other classes, Gaara sat in the back for this class. He did so to avoid confrontation with Rock Lee, who always went to his classes filled with more energy than even Naruto. Rock Lee sat in the front of the classroom, to show his willingness to learn—and something Gaara might have mistakenly heard as youth. Haruno Sakura also sat near the front, though keeping a distance from Rock Lee, but for a different reason than Gaara.

Third period was literature with Kakashi, who had his students read out loud from The Odyssey. Gaara was sure he pronounced certain names wrong, but no one corrected him. They were most likely afraid to.

They spent the entire period reading from The Odyssey, and Gaara was starting to dislike Odysseus, who was pathetic and could not do much for himself, without having to beg the gods for mercy. The way Gaara saw it, if Odysseus truly wanted to go home, he should have tried harder. It was his own fault for being weak and powerless against Poseidon. Gods? Gods were not real; they were created from and existed purely in man's imagination.

.

Fourth period P.E. was much more interesting than his previous classes, though Gaara had to be careful not to go too far. The only students in his class willing to partner up with Gaara were Kabuto the senior and Sai, the person Naruto disliked.

To Gaara's surprise, both boys wanted to spar, and once they got started, Gaara found himself having to use more force than he originally intended.

Gaara almost asked them, who are you, but refrained from doing so. For all Gaara knew, these two boys were also like Rock Lee, and Gaara did not want to cause another scene, which would surely lead to his father scolding him. Gaara had managed to get by the first incident without his father lecturing him, but the boy knew no such luck would happen a second time around.

.

Gaara changed out of his P.E. clothes and automatically went to find his older siblings, who were in line, waiting for lunch. After they all got lunch, Temari excused herself, saying something about joining a club.

Gaara observed his remaining sibling, who was fidgeting in his spot.

"I will go find Uzumaki Naruto," Gaara declared. "You do not have to accompany me."

Kankuro let out a sigh of relief, but composed himself. "Oh, yeah, sure, okay. See you after school then, Gaara."

Gaara nodded, dismissing his brother. It was time to find Naruto.

.

Uzumaki Naruto was sitting by himself at the table, scribbling on what appeared to be his math homework.

"Naruto-kun," Gaara approached the boy.

Naruto looked up. "Oh, hey, Gaara! You wouldn't know how to do this, would you? Man, Iruka-sensei assigned me so much yesterday, dattebayo, and all my other friends had stuff to do. Sasuke refuses to help me, too!"

Gaara peered over Naruto's shoulder. "These two lines are parallel, and this line intersects both, so these angles are all equal."

Naruto frowned, thinking about Gaara's explanation. "But what about this angle? Aren't these lines parallel, too?"

"It doesn't say so," Gaara told him. "You shouldn't assume."

"Oh." Naruto went back to his homework. Gaara sat down across from him, waiting patiently as he finished.

"Alright!" Naruto shouted, stuffing his homework mercilessly into his backpack. "You want to go somewhere, dattebayo?"

"Anywhere is fine," said Gaara.

"Come on, there's this nice place on campus where we can sit. There's lots of shade, and, what's better, it's not Shikamaru's hiding spot."

Gaara had no idea where Shikamaru's hiding spot was but he did not ask. He followed Naruto and the two of them did not have to go far. Naruto stopped them in front of a door of the literature building, on the opposite side of Kakashi's room.

"See, it's near the office so people don't really come here," Naruto said. He grinned mischievously. "There's an entrance to the rooftop in here."

.

The two freshmen were sitting on the roof of the literature building, watching cars go by and the students walking down below.

"Is this allowed?" Gaara asked.

Naruto shrugged. "Does it matter? We won't get caught here. My junior high is right next door, and back then, my friends and I used to come to Konoha High a lot. Some of us, like Shikamaru and Sakura-chan, had classes here, so we all just hung around here during lunch, and we never got caught when we were up here."

Gaara thought that was a bit risky, but did not challenge Naruto. The two boys sat in silence for a while before Gaara spoke the question that had been on his mind for days now.

"Why do you talk to me, Naruto-kun? You know who I am; I am the Kazekage's son and heir. Why are you not afraid, why do you not avoid me? Why do you want to be my friend?"

Naruto looked down below, silent. Finally, he spoke. "You seem lonely."

Gaara blinked in surprise. Lonely was not a word the Sunagakure citizen would have used to describe himself. "Lonely?"

"Yeah," Naruto said. "You look like you've never had friends. And honestly, I don't think you have, what with being the Kazekage's heir and all that. I've heard you're really skilled, which makes people afraid of you, doesn't it?"

Gaara said nothing; he had no idea how to react to Naruto's accurate assumptions.

"I was like that, too," Naruto admitted, and Gaara felt the familiar feeling of dread and anger creep in—but also a new feeling: disappointment. Naruto used to be afraid of him.

"I mean, I used to be targeted a lot, back when I was a kid," Naruto continued, looking straight ahead. "I don't know why, but I remember, as a little kid, there used to be masked men coming after me, dattebayo. Ero-sennin, I mean, Jiraiya-san, was always there to protect me, though, so that's why I'm still here today."

Gaara's attention was fixed on Naruto's words now; this was something he had never heard before.

"Though, actually, it might have been because of him that I was targeted," Naruto added. "Jiraiya-san is famous, after all. Also, he had loads of money."

Naruto paused and looked at Gaara. "It stopped after a while, but I've never forgotten. The adults here used to avoid me; they still do, actually. And what's worse, I have no idea why, dattebayo. I don't know why someone would want to kill me; I don't know why adults are so afraid of me, even after so many years have passed and nothing has happened."

Naruto took a shaky breath. "I was lonely, though. Jiraiya-san would leave for a long time, and I'd be left by myself. You know how that feels, don't you? Being left alone like that, and I was only a little kid, dattebayo! I have no parents, and Jiraiya-san was all I had back then, but he left me!"

Naruto's blue eyes fixed on Gaara's light green ones, eyes that were filled with sorrow and pain, and understanding. "What could a kid have possibly done for the world to hate him so? What had I done to make everyone shun me like that, dattebayo? I was so lonely, but Iruka-sensei found me. He took care of me, and eventually, I had Sasuke, and Sakura, and Shikamaru. But you—"

Gaara looked on in bewilderment as something he had not seen for a very long time slowly slid down the other boy's face: tears. Uzumaki Naruto was crying. For him.

"You had no one. You must have been so lonely, Gaara," Naruto said, not even bothering to wipe his tears away. "I heard your mother died, and your father is the Kazekage, so he's probably always busy, dattebayo. You're right; you are the Kazekage's son and heir. But doesn't that just make it worse for you? Don't people try to kill you, too? I see the kids here; they're all afraid of you, dattebayo. Man, even your siblings are scared of you! Does that make sense to you? Why would someone's family be afraid of them? It must have been so hard for you, all this time, with no one by your side, dattebayo."

Gaara said nothing, staring at the boy he had just met and barely knew, yet who understood him so well.

"You don't have to be lonely anymore, though," said Naruto, offering his hand once more. "Because I'm your friend, dattebayo."

This time, Gaara did not hesitate. He accepted Naruto's hand and shook it.