Two weeks had passed since the startling revelation, and scarcely a moment could Naruto or Gaara be seen without the other. Naruto showed Gaara all the best hiding spots in the village, and they spent many hours playing hide-and-go-seek among the buildings. In the times when Naruto finally had succumb to the lure of sleep, Gaara was always in the room with him.

The red head marveled at how such a simple thing as being near the other could make him feel tremendously calmer. He supposed it was because of how scared Shukaku was of the nine-tailed demon fox.

Naruto hadn't been frightened when he learned of the demon inside him. He'd said that it all made sense. He now knew why the villagers hated him.

Gaara sat up on his cushion, turning his eyes from the moon outside to the blond sleeping on the tattered cot nearby.

His eyes traced over whiskered cheeks to the slight smile he could see on the other boy's lips, even in sleep.

Gaara brought his legs up and rested his chin on his knees. He echoed Naruto's smile.

His first friend.

¤

They were in a bright sunny field today and Gaara was picking flowers. He had a strange fascination for flowers, as he'd never seen any in Suna. The land there was too hot and dry to support the beautiful plants.

Naruto lay in the grass nearby, partially propped up by his elbows so that he could watch Gaara. The other had entrusted him with his teddy bear, which now lay snugly by his side.

He held up a daisy to the sunlight, studying it's white petals closely. It was beautiful, but all too soon it would die because he'd picked it, snapping the stem from its roots and cutting off its source of life. It was saddening to think of.

"Why did you try to die?" the words came out of his mouth before he could stop it. Naruto met his gaze with wide, surprised eyes, then he settled into thought.

"I wanted…to be gone, I guess," he said slowly. When Gaara looked for explanation, he elaborated. "Everyone in this village," he motioned generally, "hates me and wants me dead except for the Hokage. But ojii-san can't always be with me, and I started to feel like a burden to him. I didn't have friends to be with, and I thought it would be better for him if I was…gone." Naruto looked to the ground as he spoke the last.

Gaara moved over to where Naruto sat, crouching down by him. He wasn't sure if he understood completely, about dying. He knew what loneliness could do tot hose who spent all their life shunned and treated as a burden. Even Uncle Yashamaru couldn't be trusted completely, despite how kind he was to him.

"Now that you know why, that's it's all because of the fox demon…do you still want to go?" Gaara didn't look at him, staring instead at the twirling flower in his hand. He didn't want his friend to die, leaving him all alone again. Suddenly Naruto gripped his hand, touching him again. They always touched. It was something neither one had experienced more than a few fleeting times.

"No," Naruto grinned, his cheeks stretching in a way they were unused to, "I don't want to go anymore. I'll stay here…with you."

"Promise?" Gaara looked up, his chest feeling light with hope.

Naruto's hand fluttered for a moment, unsure of himself. Then he leaned in just as he'd once seen a mother do to her child and kissed Gaara's forehead lightly, right where the Ai tattoo would soon adorn it.

"Promise."

Shukaku remained silent.

¤

Gaara was leaving soon, though why Naruto didn't know. At the moment he was in the meeting room with the Kazekage and Hokage. Ojii-san had told Naruto to stay outside, no matter how much he protested. They hadn't counted on Naruto being able to hear through the door, and he was unaware that the door had been warded against spies , though he was somehow able to listen in. It was simply another mystery.

Naruto heard Gaara being told that it was nearly time to go, that they were leaving in two days. Naruto could tell from the Kazekage's voice that there was no arguing with him.

Naruto sprinted from the door, searching.

¤

"Here, it's a gift," Naruto said, pushing something warm and hard into his tiny hand. Gaara stared at it through a gaze blurred with tears. It was a tiny corked vial, tied to a string. Inside was an even tinier blown glass lotus flower. It glittered a bright white in the sun. Gaara knew immediately it had to be stolen. There was no way any shop would sell their resident demon something so beautiful.

"I tried to look for a daisy, but there weren't any," Naruto said, explaining the lotus.

"T-thank you." It was all that could be said. "I don't want to go…"

"Stay strong, and don't forget me, promise?" his eyes were too old, too sad for Gaara to comprehend. He nodded slowly.

"I…promise."

Gaara looked up, hearing his name called by his…father. He looked back at Naruto almost desperately, but the other only shook his head and reached over to hug him, grubby teddy bear and all.

The two boys wouldn't see each other for six years.

As Gaara was carried farther and farther away from Konoha, he began to hear the whispers of evil once again.

He shut his eyes tight.

'Stay strong, and don't forget me.'

'I won't, promise.'

¤

A/n: I've been very busy with my other fic, Un Coeur Gris, but I decided to take some time off to add to this. It probably won't be updated again until I finish UCG. I can't wait to write the next chapter! That's when all the fun stuff happens...

I know my writing style is a little vague and detached right now, but it's supposed to be. It'll get more in-depth in a couple of chapters.

Please review if you like it! I love feedback.