A New Friend
Chapter 5

Tetsumari woke up the next day after saying goodbye to Sasuke. She had one more day left until she had to go back to academy school. Tetsumari stayed in bed for awhile thinking about the day she spent with Sasuke and his brother, Itachi. They had reminded her of her brother and her. She sighed and finally decided to get off her futon and wash up.

"Ow," Tetsumari winced in pain. She remembered her heavy training with Sasuke the day before. She nearly limped to the bathroom when she was trying to wash up and then nearly died when she was trying to change. When Tetsumari was done, she limped again to the kitchen.

"Morning Granny," Tetsumari said as she slowly made her way to the kitchen where Granny was. She was already setting up breakfast.

"Hey dear, you finally woke up!" Granny joked.

"Was I sleeping for that long?" Tetsumari replied confused.

"You don't remember?"

"No?" Granny giggled like a little girl.

"You knocked out last night halfway through the trip home."

"What! Really?"

"Yeah, the ANBU had to carry you home." Tetsumari blushed.

"Oh I didn't know. I guess I was really tired yesterday, I still feel a bit sore."

"Oh really, I tried waking you up earlier, but you wouldn't even move!"

"Really it was probably because I was training a lot yesterday with Sasuke."

"Oh I see, here, I'll heal it for you," Granny walked over to Tetsumari and sat down by her. She began to do some hand seals and placed her hands where Tetsumari was sore. It was the same technique Tetsumari used to heal Kankurou's head.

"Much better!" Tetsumari said moving her arms around, "Thanks Granny."

"Anytime, well eat before the food gets cold." They both ate and fell into those small conversations they always had. Tetsumari told Granny about what she did with Sasuke and the training they had. Granny always loved listening to her talk; she was so lively. When they were done eating breakfast. Tetsumari helped with cleaning the dishes.

"What are you doing today, Tetsumari?"

"I don't know I guess training some more."

"Why don't you go out, you shouldn't stay cooped up in the house or around here all the time and you shouldn't exhaust yourself with training too much either."

"Will you be okay though Granny?"

"Of course I will, I'm not that old," Granny teased.

"Hm, Okay then. I'll take a walk around for some fresh air."

"Okay, remember to bring a coat; it's always so cold and windy around here and don't be home too late!" Tetsumari finished washing the dishes then went to hug her Granny and kiss her goodbye.

"Okay, I'm going now. Bye Granny!" Tetsumari grabbed a white coat to cover herself with and went outside. She walked around the village observing all the people, shops, or just about anything she could see.

As she was walking towards academy school, she spotted a little boy around her age swinging by himself with his teddy bear. Tetsumari got a little closer, but not so close that he would see her. She hid in the shadows of the buildings to observe him. After observing closely, Tetsumari realized that he was the red head boy in her class, Gaara; the boy who sat all by himself most of the time in the front. She began to doze off staring at him and his eyes.

"His eyes…" she thought, "They're so… lonely… I wonder why he doesn't hang out with anyone. I have heard stuff about him, but all that couldn't have been true. There's no way!"

Tetsumari dozed off again until suddenly she was brought back from a familiar voice that was calling out her name.

"Tetsumari? Hello?" It was her best friend, Temari and her brother, Kankurou.

"Oh hey," Tetsumari felt embarrassed.

"What were you doing out her all by yourself?" Temari asked.

"Oh… I was... uh… I was…"she stuttered tremendously.

"Watching someone?" Kankurou ended for her with a big smile.

"Yeah," Tetsumari was turning a bit red then pointed to Gaara, "I was looking at that boy over there."

"Gaara?" they both asked puzzled.

"Yeah, do you know him?"

"Of course we do, it's our youngest brother," Temari stated.

"Really? Why is he always by himself than?"

"Everyone's scared of him cause of the Shukaku." Temari explained.

"Shukaku?"

"Yeah," Kankurou began to talk now, "It protects him like an automatic shield."

"It doesn't sound that bad, why is everyone scared of it?"

"Well, it's because Gaara doesn't have full control of it so it gets out of hand sometimes and attack others even if Gaara didn't want it to." Kankurou explained it a bit more and about how Gaara wasn't allowed to sleep.

"No wonder… he must feel so sad and lonely…"

"Yeah…" Temari and Kankurou sighed.

"So, he has never slept at all?"

"Not since that monster was sealed in him," Temari looked over at her brother on the swing.

"Oh…" Tetsumari felt sorry for him.

"Our dad wanted to seal it in him to use him as a weapon for this village," Kankurou mentioned.

"Huh? What! That's so cruel! Who's your father?"

"The Forth Kazekage." Tetsumari thought back couple days ago when she last saw him. It was the day that Granny was sent on a mission. Tetsumari remembered the look he gave her which sent chills down her back when she thought about it. Tetsumari could still feel his cold eyes watching her.

"Well have you eaten yet Tetsumari?" Kankurou asked, changing the subject.

"Not since this morning," It was already late afternoon.

"We were about to go eat, want to come also?"

"Sure! Is Gaara coming too?" Temari and Kankurou looked at each other.

"Well, we don't normally go anywhere with him," Temari looked down feeling a bit ashamed.

"Why not? Just for today?"

"Oh okay then, I'll go get him," Kankurou said and walked over to his brother.

"I wouldn't get myself caught up with Gaara if I were you." Temari warned when Kankurou walked away.

"Why?"

"You could get seriously hurt and I care about you like the sister I never had so please be careful around him."

"Oh, thanks Temari," Just then Kankurou came back with Gaara. He looked happy that he was finally being invited to go somewhere.

"Gaara this is Tetsumari, Tetsumari this is Gaara," Kankurou introduced. Gaara was hesitating whether or not he should shake hands with her, fearing that she'll get scared and run away. But when Tetsumari gave him a breath taking smile, all his fears seem to ease away

"Hi Gaara," she said putting her hand out.

"Hi," he replied shaking her hands and holding it for awhile longer. He has never really felt the touch of another person often, so it was pleasing to him. After introductions, they went on their way to go eat at a normal restaurant. Everyone ordered what they wanted and talked as they waited for their food to be served.

Tetsumari looked over at Gaara; he had the biggest and warmest smile she has ever seen besides Granny's. His eyes didn't look so sad or lonely, but Tetsumari knew deep inside those eyes were darkness. They were finally given their food after a couple minutes. As they ate their food, there were people whispering and staring at them.

"Hey look its Gaara of the Desert mommy!" a little boy cried out pointing at Gaara.

"Shh, don't point or talk too loud! He's going to kill you, " the mom said eyeing their table. Gaara sunk down in his seat, Tetsumari knew that he was trying to hold himself back from letting the Shukaku take over. It seemed to have worked because Gaara sat back up again and ate his food. It was strange because usually Tetsumari would be the one being talked about. When they were done eating, Temari paid for everyone as a treat.

"Tetsumari, want to take home something for Granny? I'll pay for it." Temari offered.

"Are you sure? You don't have to," Tetsumari hesitated.

"Don't worry, just order."

"Okay thanks so much," Tetsumari ordered some extra food and when it was done cooking they all left. By the time they all left, it was pretty dark.

"Well I got to be going now, thanks for lunch," Tetsumari said and hugged Temari, Kankurou, and even Gaara as he blushed. He was also looking pretty shocked because he probably hasn't gotten a hug from anyone before.

"Okay, have a safe walk home," Temari and Kankurou said, "Bye!"

"Bye," Tetsumari replied.

"Oh wait," Gaara said just when Tetsumari was about to turn around leave.

"Yes?" she said surprise.

"Uhm… I'll walk… you home…" he said stuttering and looking around, fidgeting. Tetsumari smiled while Temari and Kankurou looked at each other surprised.

"Sure! Thanks Gaara," he smiled and walked towards Tetsumari, "Okay bye Temari, Kankurou."

"Bye, see you tomorrow, have fun you two," They replied as they both walked off in opposite directions. It was quiet for awhile between Tetsumari and Gaara.

"So… Why did you want to walk me home?" Tetsumari asked Gaara breaking the silence.

"Oh, I just wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Well…" Gaara looked down, "Why aren't you scared of me like others are?"

"Why would I? There's nothing bad about you," Tetsumari giggled and turned to look at Gaara straight in the eye.

"But... the sand… the Shukaku."

"You're different from others, but I like it, you remind me of…me…" she sighed and looked away thinking about how everyone in her clan acted the same way they did to Gaara here in this village. She thought about her dad, how he would say she was cursed because she was different, but her brother loved her because she was different. In some way, she knew how Gaara felt and she just wanted to be that person, like her brother was to her, to help him.

"What's wrong?" Gaara saw that Tetsumari was quiet.

"Oh nothing, just thinking about some old things..."

"You're the first person that ever made me feel this way. I don't know what it is, but you make warm inside…" Gaara blushed as he blurted that out while Tetsumari smiled.

"Well I'm home now, thanks for walking me home Gaara."

"No problem, well bye," he gave Tetsumari that warming smile again. Tetsumari couldn't help but go up to him and hug him than kiss him on the forehead.

"Bye," Tetsumari waved and walked into her house. She saw Gaara blushing as he walked away.