Happy Naruto x Gaara Fanday~
Negotiated Infidelity 7.1
A New Leaf
Neji's hair whipped behind him, the long strands flying in the wind as his body wove left to right, left to right, feet trapping and moving the ball gracefully as he spun circles around Shino. The fullback held his ground, movements minimal as he anticipated Neji's turns. He managed to nick one edge of the ball, but Neji recovered, sending it in a quick pass up the field to Sai.
Naruto began running up the field alongside him. The other striker was sometimes unpredictable and Naruto had to keep an eye on him to gauge his mood. There was still a lack of rapport between them; they were getting better, but it would never be like it was with Sasuke.
"Don't lag Chouji, get in there," Asuma barked from the sidelines. The assistant coach's voice prompted the big guy to push forward, but Sai was ready for him and escaped him easily. Naruto prepared himself, legs pumping to push forward. He eyed the teammate in front of him grinning.
And then the ball sailed forward, not toward his side of the field, but straight for the goal. Naruto opened his mouth to protest, watching the arc of the large projectile hurling toward their grimacing goalie. Shikamaru rushed into a dive that fell painfully short. The ball sailed in cleanly.
"What the hell, Sai!" Naruto yelled, waving his arms angrily. "I was wide open; you could have passed it to me!"
Sai gave a short, apathetic shrug.
The next insult was cut off by the sound of Kakashi's whistle and Naruto shot a dirty look instead. He turned in time to see Shikamaru fish out the ball, an annoyed look plastered all over his face. Naruto gave him a sympathetic wave as he moved back to the starting line.
Despite the lack of attention to his instructions, Kakashi seemed surprisingly calm. He waited for them near the center line, eying Sai as he returned to position.
"Nice shot, Sai, but you missed the point of the exercise. Let's try that again and this time, don't forget to pass to your teammate. Remember, I want three passes before you shoot. Let's do it again," Kakashi said patiently. His eye creased in a smile, and he pat the forward's shoulder in a friendly enough manner. Sai's dark eyes observed the gesture, though his blank expression withheld any opinions on it. He gave a short nod and, ignoring Neji and Naruto, turned back toward the goal.
Naruto grumbled as he moved back into place. The ball was returned to Neji and he shot Sai an annoyed glare that went ignored as he pushed the ball forward with the top of his foot. They ran the exercise again and this time Sai didn't bother holding onto the ball at all. The ball sailed toward him and instead of trapping it, he used his foot to add to the spin and throw more momentum behind it. Naruto yelped and scrambled to grab the pass but he was too far behind and the ball sailed wide. His steps tottered to a halt as he watched the projectile escape him.
"Sai!" Naruto turned to yell at him. He strode up to the brunet and looked down his nose at him. "You did that on purpose!"
"Not my fault you're slow," Sai said in that irritatingly deadpan voice of his. His dark eyes were blank of any mockery, though the curve of his lips made Naruto want to punch him.
Neji pulled him back. "Ignore him," his teammate grit out, though Naruto had the impression that Neji wanted to punch Sai just as much as he did.
Kakashi approached slowly. One look from him made Naruto back down.
"Maybe that's enough of this exercise for today. I've kept you boys here late enough already. I'll call Gai and tell him to reign in the rest of the team."
Naruto grimaced, shooting dirty looks at the brunet. It was an easy drill. Most of them could do it in their sleep. He pulled Neji's arm away, pat his shoulder in thanks and began to leave the field.
"Don't wander away just yet," Kakashi called him back. "We need to have a team meeting."
Naruto's head sank with a great sigh. As acting captain he turned back around and put his fingers between his teeth to whistle. Everyone within the general vicinity began to leave their posts and move toward the center of the field.
His attention wandered to the perimeter of the field where Gai was leading everyone in laps up and down the stone bleachers. Kakashi whistled to him and made a motion with his hands. It was a time out signal, but Gai seemed to get the message. He paused abruptly and turned on the team, smiling broadly as he announced that conditioning was finished.
Naruto wasn't sure what set they were on, but a few of them looked pale, some were sagging at the knees and only Lee seemed disappointed when the news came that it was time to stop. They staggered forward like zombies, Kiba uttering a pained groan as he collapsed onto the grass.
"Huddle up," Kakashi instructed. The team slowly came together, shaping a sloppy semi-circle around Gai and their head coach.
Shikamaru wiggled in between Chouji and Shino. He looked curious, which meant he didn't know what was up for once despite his rather buddy-buddy camaraderie with the assistant coach. Naruto turned his attention to Kakashi, suddenly interested as well.
One dark brown eye glanced around the field, making sure everyone was there. When he was satisfied he raised his clipboard, flipping a few pages until he stopped.
He slipped a stack of papers free and handed them to Asuma who began passing them around. Naruto grabbed one before passing on the stack to Neji. He looked at the page curiously and found a list of items.
"This year we're going to summer training camp. I've secured a spot at one of the facilities in Nagano so make sure you're packed and ready to go as soon as the last final is over. We're not wasting any time this year."
"So then you're serious about entering us," Shikamaru intoned.
Kakashi paused and nodded slowly. "First round is September third. That gives us a solid month to prepare for the hard battles ahead. If we're lucky, we'll be paired against another university."
Naruto felt a flutter of excitement. The Emperor's Cup. It was almost here. And given their bracket, it was likely another top university would be placed in the first round. This was going to be his chance. It was where he would finally prove himself.
"Will the girls be joining us again this year?" Shikamaru asked. He didn't look happy, no doubt still cringing from Ino's incessant talking last year. Naruto didn't mind it in the least. It had given him time to play with Sakura and to spend time with her.
Kakashi shook his head. "The girls will be training elsewhere this year, but we are partnering up with another team."
A murmur rose among the crowd.
"We've played them before and it was a good match. I think we have a lot to learn from each other and so I've been coordinating with Suna's coach to work on a training schedule that will benefit both of our teams."
Naruto startled at the name. It had been months since they played that opening game. The tie still rankled with him, not because of the score but because of the associations he had with it.
A few people groaned and some complained outright. Asuma gave them all a warning look that made most of them quiet down.
"Suna's defense is top notch. Their assistant coach has agreed to train our players alongside his own. Gai and Asuma are in charge of conditioning. Offense, be prepared to welcome your rivals. We'll be practicing a lot together."
Naruto looked around and exchanged looks with his teammates. There was a shared sense of uneasiness given the type of violence that took place on the field that day. Naruto wasn't too sure their styles would be all too compatible.
"Is that the best idea?" Naruto asked, suddenly nervous at the thought of being reunited with Suna's players; particularly a feisty red-haired goalie.
"We aren't starting in the same bracket. Likely we won't meet them at all in this tournament. We have nothing to lose by partnering up."
"That wasn't what I meant," Naruto scratched his cheek. "Their tactics, not to mention their goalie..." Naruto paused, not sure how to finish that sentence.
Kakashi observed him carefully. He tilted his head and Naruto got the sense that he understood exactly what Naruto was getting at.
"Their goalie will be busy spending some one-on-one time with Shikamaru. Which reminds me, their lead forward requested some one-on-one with you. Seems you made a good impression last time," Kakashi smiled.
"Lead forward?" Naruto puzzled.
Kakashi checked his clip board. "Sabaku Kankuro. Tall brunet if I remember correctly. Looks more like an American football player than soccer player. Anyhow, stay here Naruto. We can discuss details while everyone else hits the showers."
Kakashi clapped his hands together. "Remember, packed and ready to go! And ace those finals!"
Naruto frowned as he recalled the tall striker who introduced himself at the end of that game. He had been Acting Captain; Naruto was sure of it. He snapped to attention when he noticed Kakashi beckoning him forward with a finger. The other players were encouraged off the field by Gai's challenge to race back to the showers. Few accepted, though the stragglers were content to slope away at Asuma-sensei's more leisurely pace. Naruto waved to Shikamaru before inching closer to his coach.
"I have a special task for you, Naruto. As captain, your teammates look to you for leadership. If you make an effort to get along with Suna, they will fall in place."
Naruto worried his lip. Kakashi-sensei never did ask where his extra bruises came from after that game. After the news, everyone had assumed the fight was with Sasuke. No one knew the real truth. Save Shikamaru of course, and Sakura.
"I've received contact information for Suna's captain. I'd like you to work with him, maybe discuss some possible ice breakers or activities for the two teams to build some camaraderie." Kakashi flipped through his pages and pulled one free from his clipboard. "I hope you don't mind that I forwarded your information along to Suna's coach in return."
Naruto nodded dumbly. He accepted the form and scanned a team roster, complete with full names and jersey numbers. Kakashi made a motion for him to flip it over and he did. There was an e-mail address written there, along with a phone number. Beneath it was the name Sabaku Gaara written hastily in Kakashi's scrawl.
"Gaara?" Naruto looked up. Kakashi nodded.
"I'm counting on you," he pat Naruto's shoulder. Naruto felt his stomach sink. A sense of dread crept over him. He was fairly certain that he was the last person Gaara wanted to see. Naruto bit his lip and wondered just how much it would cost to bribe Shikamaru to take over for him. But knowing the prickly genius, he would only turn it back around on Naruto, even if they were going to work together a lot.
Naruto paused suddenly, his spirits lifting dramatically.
"I thought Kankuro was their captain," Naruto hazarded an inquiry.
Kakashi shook his head. "Kankuro is co-captain and helps out."
Naruto nodded as if he already knew this. He put on his best smile before continuing. "Well you know, we're both strikers and all, and from our time on the field together, I get the sense he's kind of a leader for them too. Wouldn't it make more sense if I worked with Kankuro instead?" Naruto grinned, hoping his coach would take the bait.
"Well I don't mind," Kakashi started, "but it's up to him really and you should discuss that with Gaara first. Now go hit the showers," Kakashi pushed him forward. "And good luck on your finals."
Naruto's shoulders sank. The momentum behind Kakashi's push sent him stumbling a little before he slowed down and began to drag his feet across the grass. If he was lucky, Kankuro would take over for Gaara without being asked to. If he was lucky, Gaara would distance himself the way he always did and let them do what they wanted.
Naruto glanced back down at the paper and sighed. But when was he ever lucky?
His brother's face hovered over his, smiling, encouraging, egging him on. Sweat trickled down the side of his brow, his arms wavering as he gathered up his breath and expelled it in one rush to push everything forward.
"Fourteen," his brother called.
Gaara's arms sank back down, the weight of the bar magnified by his tiredness. He felt his muscles burning from the efforts, but he ignored it, concentrating on the air filling his chest, slowly, despite a want to gasp for breath.
"One more," Kankuro encouraged.
Gaara grit his teeth and focused. He would ache tomorrow, but he would relish it. He pushed his arms out slowly, ignoring the pain in his arms and the tiredness of his limbs. He pushed until the bar hovered well above him and after his limbs shook and he thought he could no longer bear it, Kankuro's hands were removing the weight, releasing him from his burden.
"You've gotten stronger," Kankuro commented. He whistled as he curled the bar toward his chest before settling it over its resting spot.
Gaara's chest heaved, his breathing heavy and his heart racing from the exercise. He sat up, mopping his brow with the towel hanging at his side.
"In some respects," Gaara replied.
He wiped at his neck and slid forward, slipping his legs off the bench. He was aware of the fact that his brother was the only one who offered to spot for him, or that the other members of the team, despite being more relaxed on the field, still kept their distance in other areas.
He glanced up at two teammates walking alongside each other. They headed for the free weights on the other side, their attention wholly absorbed in something one of them was saying.
"Give them time," Kankuro said. "They're still getting used to this. Once we get to summer camp, you'll have your chances."
Gaara lowered his gaze. He nodded in agreement, though his thoughts strayed from Kankuro's meaning. He reached for his forehead, touching the skin absently.
Kankuro was silent beside him. He moved around to stand by Gaara, holding out a water bottle in offering.
"You're worried about something," Kankuro said.
Gaara flashed a surprised look. He was still unaccustomed to his brother being so forthright. He accepted the water bottle and shook his head a little.
"Not worried, exactly," he replied. "This new partnership. The decision wasn't selfless and I wonder if it was wise." He took a long draught from the bottle and lowered it again. He held the cool water in his mouth, swallowing it down slowly.
Kankuro squeezed onto the bench beside him. Given his large frame he was limited to sitting awkwardly on the corner.
"Because of what happened last time?" He placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder, a gesture that wouldn't have taken place just a few months before. "Uchiha isn't on their team anymore and Uzumaki doesn't strike me as the type to hold grudges. He seemed like a pretty decent guy."
Angry blue eyes flashed in his memory, a look that was so desperate and determined it had rattled him. They had all heard the news the next day and instead of feeling bitter or angry over the lost opportunity, he felt a deep-seeded guilt over his last words to the Konoha player.
"I realize there's a lot more to this story," Kankuro prompted, "but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
The hand slipped free of his shoulder. The warmth of Kankuro's fingers lingered there and Gaara was reminded that another hand had been extended to him. One he had refused. He wondered if in the coming month, he could perhaps earn the privilege to accept it.
"Everyone points to my failure," Gaara stated. "They see my blunder in Tokyo and the resulting loss of the spotlight as a lesson in humility. They explain my reform by relying on these convenient factors."
Kankuro snorted. "Shows how well they know you," he teased.
Gaara's lips curved into a brief smile. "The truth is, I fought with Uzumaki after the game. He was so angry and it wasn't at his team. He was furious because he thought he let them down."
"He did sit out a good chunk of the game," Kankuro commented.
Gaara shook his head. "But when he did play, he made it count. He reminded me that it was teamwork that helped them score against me. I didn't want to admit it at the time, but he was right. It was a blunder that could have been prevented. It was easy to blame Uchiha. But Uzumaki made me face the fact that the fault was mine."
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Kankuro cajoled. "We wouldn't have come this far were it not for you."
Gaara smiled again. "No, but I've been a spoiled child until now. You know it and I do. That sort of behavior can't help team morale and so I've decided to stop hiding my head in the sand and to start seeing things for what they are. For a long time you've played referee between me and the rest of the team. I want you to be able to stop covering for me, to let me be team captain in more than just name."
Kankuro grimaced sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"I made this decision for the team because I think we can learn from Konoha. But moreover, I owe Uzumaki a debt. It's a chance for me to repay him and maybe earn the friendship he once offered."
Kankuro clapped his brother on the back. "Don't be too harsh on yourself. If anything, he's totally forgotten it by now. Come on, let's go hit up the student union for some food."
Kankuro lumbered onto his feet, wading between large machinery to exit the athletic center. Gaara lingered for a moment, watching his brother swagger through the room. He smiled easily at the other teammates and shouted playful insults or quips at the other athletes. He wanted to believe in his brother's optimism regarding Uzumaki, but there was an uneasiness regarding the subject and not one he was sure he could ever fully disclose.
Naruto's eyes began to glaze over. One kanji began to bleed into another and another and by the time he figured out the word, he had forgotten the subject of the sentence entirely. Naruto shook his head and used his finger to trace the sentence from the beginning again. He tried to concentrate on making out the words, on focusing on the image it created, but it was complicated and boring and he didn't want to read old stories written by boring old people anyway. Naruto groaned and leaned back in his chair. He tipped his head back and stared up at his ceiling.
If Sasuke were here, he would have tossed a wad of paper, or a rubber eraser by now. He would have poked his forehead with the blunt edge of his pencil and said to stop being lazy. He would have insulted him with a name or made a crack at Naruto's intelligence that would rekindle his determination to study.
Naruto shut his eyes against the memories. He felt a stab through his chest that threatened to bring it all back again; a crack in the wall he had built between now and the mess he had been.
Naruto sat up again and itched to pull out the newspaper clippings again, if only to remind himself. He pushed himself away from his desk and stood up, walking across the small room to the wooden book shelf against the wall. He paused when the papers he expected to find at the base of the shelf were missing. He rummaged through everything on his shelves, removed each item and replaced it sloppily. He investigated the floor and even the small pile of laundry sitting in the corner.
Naruto huffed in annoyance. He had a creeping suspicion that Sai had entered his room again without permission. Naruto jumped to his feet and stomped his way over to the next room.
"Sai?" he called. He knocked briefly on the open door and stepped into a room plastered in drawings, paintings, and small things scribbled in places they shouldn't. Sai was posed in front of a canvas, chewing the edge of his brush. His black pants were hanging loosely from his narrow hips. His "painting pants" as he called them. A black t-shirt was tied up at mid-waist, exposing his pale belly. Naruto paused for a moment, still unused to his roommate's style.
"Sai," he said again, receiving an apathetic look. "Did you see the stack of newspaper near my bookshelf?" he asked warily.
He nodded to the spread of newspapers spread across the bedroom floor.
"You weren't using them," Sai said matter-of-factly. He turned back to his painting, his feet shifting as another drop of black ink fell. Naruto watch it splatter, spreading, bleeding into the black text on the white surface. Naruto paused when he recognized the article. His eyes traced the text to Sai's foot, to where half of Sasuke's face poked out from beneath Sai's heel.
"What the hell, Sai!" Naruto yelled at him. He shoved the painter, trying to tug up the newspaper from beneath his feet. He pulled too roughly and the thin paper tore, winding a jagged edge straight through the image he was hoping to save.
"Who said you could take stuff from my room!" He started to gather the pages from where he could, some wrinkled and splattered with water and paint, others crumpled under Sai's weight. "Those were mine!" he shouted angrily. "I was... I was saving them," he said, holding up the torn page announcing Sasuke's recruitment. His ex-teammate stood expressionless before a crowd, his pale skin and dark hair even more dramatic in the black and white photo. A man's hand rested possessively on his shoulder.
Naruto lowered the newspaper and scowled at Sai angrily.
"Why?" Sai glanced at the page in his hand. "He's not coming back."
Sai's comment stopped him like a slap in the face. His fist closed around the wad of ruined newspaper and he threw it, smacking Sai on the back of his head. He could feel the heat creeping into his face, his other hand fisted in barely contained fury.
"Shut up," Naruto growled warningly. Sai glanced at the harmless paper wad and lifted an eyebrow in that infuriating way of his. "Just, shut up! Don't talk about him that way!"
He shrugged as if he didn't know what Naruto was upset about and to point out the very obvious fact that he had indeed said nothing. Still, his expression softened and there was a heaviness in the draw of his mouth that made Naruto uncomfortable. He wanted to punch Sai for whatever it was he was thinking about Sasuke, or about himself. He didn't know what that expression meant, but he knew he didn't like it.
"You didn't know him like I did," Naruto explained. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he heard how feeble he sounded. Trying to explain to Sai was doing nothing but upsetting him more. He was making a fool out of himself and Sai's lack of reaction was only making him angrier. Naruto shook his head and kicked at the newspaper childishly. "Just, don't touch my stuff anymore, okay?" he said, turning around before he did any more damage. He huffed his way back to his room and slammed the door for good measure.
For a moment he wanted to grab the doorknob and open it again if only to slam the door repeatedly. He wanted to rage and to yell and to destroy the things around him, because it was finals and he had the Emperor's Cup to prepare for and he had to do it while facing the one person who thought he was scum - and all without Sasuke.
As much as he told everyone else he was okay, he missed the bastard. He missed their arguments, their teasing, the times they got excited together or fucked between the sheets. He missed the reluctant laughter, the sharp look in black eyes when he decided Naruto needed to be chastised and most of all, he missed having his friend.
Naruto leaned his head against the back of the door. He shut his eyes and forced himself to take a deep, slow breath.
But Sai was right of course. Sasuke wasn't coming back. As much as he had held out hope, he knew it was too late for that now. Contracts were signed, deals were made. Sasuke would never be a Konohan again. And this is what Sasuke wanted. It's all that he had worked for.
Naruto just never thought it meant that he would get left out in the cold.
It was simply embarrassing really; all those weeks he spent leaving voice mails or tracking down people that might know where he was. How desperate he must seem, chasing after Sasuke the way he did.
And for months he had told himself it was just a matter of time. It was just a matter of getting settled in and used to things. Naruto sucked air between his teeth. He shook his head and smacked his cheeks lightly to shake himself out of it. For months he told himself that this wasn't about him.
Naruto sank into his seat and cracked open his book again, trying to push away the distractions crowding in on him. He needed to study. He needed to ace his finals before heading out for summer camp. Sasuke wasn't here. He wasn't here to help him study and he wasn't here to distract him either.
Naruto squinted at the characters in front of him. He bit the end of his mechanical pencil, trying to force his concentration. His thoughts were still swirling with anger, toward Sai, toward the many teammates that had trash-talked Sasuke since it happened and toward Sasuke himself.
He felt the past few months coming back to him, emotions crashing over him as he screwed his eyes shut.
He was supposed to be better, he reminded himself.
A knock startled him out of his pity party. He wiped at his eyes hastily, sniffing and clearing his throat. He sank into his chair, hunching over like someone who had been sitting for awhile.
"Yeah?" he said as casually as possible.
Sai opened the door, pausing at the doorway while Naruto avoided looking at him. He leaned his chin on his hand, elbow propped up on his desk like he was focusing on his text book.
A wad of paper smacked the top of his head. Naruto bat away at him angrily only to face a small collection of periodicals being offered to him.
"To replace the ones I took," he said.
Naruto looked up, uncertain. Sai didn't look sorry, but he didn't look like he was trying to piss off anyone either. Naruto figured this was as much of an apology as he would get. He shook his head, reaching for them.
"They're newer anyways. They'll have the more recent articles," Sai added. He paused then, looking at Naruto expectantly, waiting for a reaction.
Naruto tried to wave him away. "Just don't take stuff without asking, okay?" he said in his most stern voice. He looked at the papers in front of him. It was the sports section, all of them. He flipped through them, not noticing Sasuke's image anywhere. It figured Sai would miss the point entirely.
He flipped to the last page and then he paused again. Two young men, and a woman posed together. The shortest one had spiky hair in graytone, his arms crossed over his chest.
Naruto bit back his earlier comment and lowered the papers to his desk.
"Thanks," he said.
"Whatever," Sai shrugged. "For what it's worth, I don't consider Sasuke a real comrade. I know you two were close, but if I was in his shoes, I wouldn't have done that. Not to the team, or to you."
Sai didn't wait for a response. He slipped out of the room, bare feet crunching along drop cloths and newspapers in the other room.
Naruto stared out the open doorway after him. He sat there quietly for a few minutes, reminding himself that he wasn't the only one affected. Their chances for the Emperor's Cup had looked so promising at the beginning of the year. Naruto remembered all those conversations he had with Sasuke over the victories they would share. He remembered how competitive they had gotten over their match with Suna.
Naruto huffed derisively. Pitted against each other now, would they even stand a chance? Naruto flipped to the last periodical. Kankuro's arm was draped around Gaara's shoulder. The girl he saw at the bar was beside them, seemingly aloof, but with a proud smile.
Brothers Kankuro and Gaara Sabaku play for Suna University's soccer team. Their sister Temari plays for the women's team.
Sister, Naruto thought, smiling in spite of himself. It would explain why she was at the bar that night and disappeared along with Suna's team. He thought of the sad expression on Gaara's face when he spoke of his siblings. He thought of the girl, alarm on her pretty face as she watched the fight in the bar unfold.
See? he thought. I told you.
Naruto began reading the article. His conflicted feelings toward Gaara aside, Suna was a good team and he had kept up with their stats. They played a good season, better than Konoha even though he never actually watched a game.
At what age did you begin to play soccer?
Kankuro: I think we all started at four years old. Our dad and our uncle Yashamaru would train us when they had free time. They would stick me and Temari against them and she was smart enough to hang back and play defense. Me? I'd run right into them and fall down all the time. Gaara was so little, Temari kept him behind her as goalie.
So it was a family activity.
Temari: At first. It became more difficult as we got older.
Kankuro: I think it started out as fun, but as we got older, our training became more serious. And when Gaara showed aptitude as a goalie, I think our dad was excited to see one of us take after him. But it was also really tough. (laughter) Every day, after school, our uncle Yashamaru ran us ragged.
Were you ever tempted to try other sports?
Temari: (laughs) I would have switched to Judo if I thought my father wouldn't disown me. But at least I was never expected to study flower arrangement or baking.
Kankuro: I dunno, I think baking lessons would have helped! (general laughter) But no, not really. I think soccer is my favorite sport. How about you, Gaara?
Gaara: No.
Naruto laughed in spite of himself. He could imagine the unhappy look on Gaara's face as he said it. He skimmed the article, taking a brief survey of the questions. Favorite teams, favorite players, people they looked up to and the usual fare. The questions were consistently answered by Kankuro with a few comments from Temari here and there. The article ended and Naruto flipped a few pages over, finding the column where the interview continued.
I think soccer fans and the sports world at large was shocked with the news of your father's accident. How difficult was it for you to lose your father and in such a public way?
Naruto paused and read the question again. He doubled checked the column and the article number to make sure he hadn't checked the wrong page, but a quick glance at the answer proved he was reading the right one.
Naruto tried to recall who Gaara's father was and drew a blank. Naruto held up the article.
Temari: I was in high school at the time. There were some classmates who knew who he was and while some expressed sympathy, some made some inappropriate comments. I think we all got into our fair share of fights that week. And of course the teachers were constantly asking me if I was fine. That was difficult, but mostly it was the lack of privacy. Many people meant well, but I think after a certain point, we simply wanted to get on with our lives.
Kankuro: I think I broke some reporter's camera. But he never reported it because he didn't want to admit a 14 year old kid could take him. (laughs)
How much of an impact did it have on your daily life or on your desire to keep playing?
Temari: To be honest, we were old enough to take care of ourselves. Our father was a busy man and we were used to other people looking after us. We had our own coaches and teams by that time, so we were playing for our own reasons. If our father had free time, he trained Gaara, since he was a goalie.
Kankuro: I think if anything, soccer was an escape from all of it. People couldn't badger you if you were busy on the field. And there was no time to concentrate on anything but the game.
Gaara? It sounds like he worked with you the most.
Gaara: No comment.
Do you think your father would be proud of how far you three have progressed?
Gaara: (chuckles) We could be professionals and he would still find something to criticize. Our father was very demanding. He didn't ask for excellence, he expected it.
Speaking of going professional, many were shocked when you turned down the offer to join the Oto Snakes alongside Uchiha Sasuke. Care to comment on your decision?
Gaara: . . . The offer arrived at a time when I was not ready. My father taught me technical skills, but not teamwork and I think I have a lot to learn in that capacity.
Naruto's chest fluttered as he read that last statement. It felt a lot like pride though he warned himself that that was silly. That night couldn't have had that sort of effect on him.
Naruto looked back at the photo on the first page. He tried not to read too deeply into Gaara's expression or the fact that the three of them actually looked like they got along. Whatever had caused it, Naruto was happy for him. His differences with the goalie aside, he couldn't begrudge Gaara this bit of happiness.
Naruto covered his face. When Shikamaru told him Gaara turned down his offer, he had stated it was due to unfavorable conditions. Naruto interpreted this as he didn't like the signing bonus, or how long the trail period was. He refused to admit that maybe it was because Sasuke would be on the same team. Not once did it occur to Naruto that it was due to a sense of loyalty to his team.
Naruto's smile faltered. The irony was too great.
For all his rants, for all his adamant insistence on teamwork, it was Gaara that turned around and provided an example and it was Sasuke that ran away from them.
He could have cried because it made Sasuke's actions seem that much worse. But it wasn't anger he was feeling, it was shame; and his face warmed up the mere idea of having to face Gaara again.
Naruto dropped the article and rubbed his face with his hands. His fingers parted and he peeked out at the goalie placed front and center and realized the fluttery feeling in his stomach wasn't going away.
Naruto flipped the article upside down and tried to shove it out of his thoughts. He pulled his textbook toward his chest and fortified himself with a deep breath.
"Come on, Uzumaki," he told himself. "Get your shit together." Resisting the urge to take one last look at Gaara's picture, Naruto pulled on his headphones and went back to work.