A/N: Thank you for your reviews of the first chapter, much appreciated. I'm glad this story has sparked some interest.

Now, a handful of secondary characters are introduced this chapter (Kiba, etc.) They won't be playing a huge role, just help provide more depth to the storyline. But the story will always be focusing on either Naruto, Gaara, or both of them at once.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, make sure to let me know what you thought.

Warnings: Strong language

The First Night

Naruto stretched, sighing out loud as his shoulder made a satisfying crack and all the knots came undone. Man, did that feel better! His shoulders had been very tense earlier on, during his meeting with his new roommate, and playing a game of basketball with his friends hadn't quite gotten all the tension out. Nonetheless, he was glad Kiba had rushed up to drag him into the game. Not only did it provide him with the perfect excuse to bail out of the awkward situation he'd been stuck in earlier, but he never once failed to enjoy a fair game between friends. This one had been no different. The fact his team had won (much to do with his help) only added to his joy.

"Just admit it," Kiba yelled teasingly. "You got thrashed, Uchiha!"

"If you hadn't gone and gotten the dobe, you would have been crushed and you know it." Sasuke snapped back, glaring coldly. Sasuke Uchiha- a fair-skinned, black-haired teen who had all the girls after him because of his good looks and cool attitude. Despite finding relationships a chore and often ignoring the advances of his admirers, Naruto knew the Uchiha secretly revelled in the attention. Sasuke wasn't the typical jock type- his flawless appearance suggesting he'd avoid that kind of thing- but he never passed on an opportunity to demonstrate his superiority to his peers. Therefore, the rare times Naruto actually beat him in something were so damn satisfying.

"Maybe if you were willing to have Naruto on your team you'd win more often." Kiba Inuzuka- possessing a similar build to his blonde friend, covered by olive skin and topped with a head of brunette spikes, along with a tribal tattoo on each cheek- was what most would refer to as a 'player'. He wasn't a jerk or anything, though he often came across that way, he just tended to do better in short-term relationships or quick screws than in anything serious.

"No way. The dobe's your problem."

"Don't get upset just 'cause I beat you!" Naruto teased, punching his black-haired friend in the arm. His grin never left his tanned face.

"Hmph."

"Aw, don't give me the silent treatment," the blonde whined. "Seriously, I'm already getting that from my new roommate!"

"Speaking of which, how is the new guy?" Another black-haired guy asked lazily, walking over to join them. Shikamaru Nara- the laziest guy you could ever meet. He never joined in with any sports games simply due to his preference to sleep and watch clouds. His eyes often expressed his tiredness and his hair was pulled into a ponytail simply because of how easy it was to do in the morning. But he was a cool guy nonetheless.

"Yeah, I only got a brief look but he creeped me out." Kiba said, pulling his shirt off to soak the sweat off of his face.

"Ah he's not that bad, Kiba." The blonde said, still not entirely convinced himself as to just how nice a guy Gaara was. "He's just not that good at socialising, that's all. I think he might just be shy."

"Don't shy people normally try and blend in? That dude has a fucking tattoo on his forehead!" The brunette shouted, chuckling slightly at the memory.

"Seriously? Coming from the dude with tattoos on his face." Sasuke shot at him slyly.

"Shuddup! You didn't see this guy though! His tattoo was actually creepy as fuck!"

"That right?" Shikamaru asked, rubbing the back of neck lazily. "You sure he isn't some kind of psycho?"

"From what Kiba told me, he does sound like the serial killer type. As in the kind who kills people then rapes the corpses just for the laughs." Sasuke, unhelpfully, added. Naruto just pouted, looking between his three best friends with disappointment etched onto his face.

"Guys, stop being so harsh. I'm sure Gaara is alright, he just needs to get to know me."

"You planning on making new friends? What's wrong with us?!" Kiba joked, hitting the blonde over the head with his sweat-drenched shirt. Chuckling at his own childish act, the brunette poked him in the chest accusingly.

"Well…you did just call my roommate a psycho without getting to know him. Besides, I'm gonna have to live with the guy so I may as well try and get on with him." Naruto shrugged it off as no big deal, gulping down some water from Sasuke's bottle- earning him a death glare of doom from the Uchiha.

"I just wish we could swap around so you and I could room together." Kiba groaned. "But I'd never kick Shikamaru out. Maybe you can move in with both of us? It's not like they actually check if we stick to the living arrangements."

"That's actually not a bad idea, Naruto." Shikamaru added, yawning ever so slightly. "This guy doesn't like socialising, right? Well then it's a win-win. You get to room with us and he gets a room all to himself. I don't see a downside here."

"I dunno guys," The blonde mumbled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with a nervous chuckle. "I'd feel too bad for ditching the guy."

"You're such an idiot." Sasuke said, shaking his head in disapproval. "And your idiocy will continue to be your downfall."

"Being nice doesn't make me an idiot, Sasuke." Naruto said, pouting again. But, by now he knew all too well that his pout had no effect on his cold-hearted friend.

"Just make sure your niceness isn't wasted on this guy," Kiba cut in. "Don't put in any more effort than necessary, just in case he throws it back in your face."

"That's right. You guys are just rooming together, you don't have to like him." Shikamaru mumbled, immediately gaining Kiba's attention.

"Wait…you like me, right?"

"Ugh, you're such a girl!"

"I thought we were friends, Shika!"

"Don't call me that, dog breath!"

"Oh, real mature!"

Naruto sighed, the sound of his bickering friends fading into the background as his thoughts focused on the rather antisocial guy back in his room. Gaara would be a challenge, no doubt about that, but Naruto was determined to get on the redhead's good side. The young man loved making new friends and there was something interesting about Gaara- whether it be that tattoo or his cold personality, or maybe the way he had accidentally shown a caring side when talking about helping out kids in the system. Naruto just felt starved for information, like there was a really engaging story waiting to be uncovered. Gaara had built up a wall around his emotions- that much was clear. After years going through the system, moving from foster home to foster home, Naruto had dealt with people vaguely similar to Gaara but none anywhere near as interesting.

The boy was too secretive and private…Naruto didn't like that. He'd find a way to tear down those walls one way or another. He was gonna be Gaara's friend, no matter what!

With newfound determination, Naruto gave his friends a quick goodbye before heading back to his dorm room again. By now Gaara was probably done unpacking so he might be a little more relaxed and willing to talk. It was a long shot but Naruto was still hopeful. That was, until he was stopped by a voice no one dared ignore.

"Naruto, just a sec." Stopping in his tracks instantly, the blonde swivelled round with a grin plastered on his goofy face. That smooth, elegant voice could only possibly belong to one person and that very person came into sight the moment he turned. There she was.

"Hey, Ino," he said with a smile. "What's up?"

Ino Yamanaka- one of the hottest girls you could ever possibly meet. She turned heads wherever she went and did so with dignity too. You'd never catch Ino in skimpy or slutty clothing or trying to attract the kind of attention a few girls their age desperately went after. She didn't sleep around, nor did she give stupid guys who only thought with their dicks the time of day. She wasn't just a pretty face- she had brains and smarts. That's what made her so desirable- as well as her perfect figure, long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Was hoping I could catch you. You're definitely on for tonight, right?"

"Yeah, of course!" The blonde grinned. Naruto and a group of friends were heading out for a meal (no drinking tonight), as they tended to do at least once a month together. Some bonding experience or something. But it was nice to sometimes just go out as friends without the influence of alcohol. "Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Good, just checking." She said, flashing a mischievous smile. Naruto knew that smile.

"That's not the only reason you wanted a chat, is it?" Naruto said, cocking an eyebrow at her. He was pleased with himself at the impressed expression the other wore in response.

"Very good," Ino said. "You're getting better at picking up on stuff. Anyway, I happened to hear about your new roommate, Gaara."

"Wha-?" Naruto stared at her. "How? The only people I've told are Kiba, Sasuke and Shikamaru and I've been with them since telling 'em!"

"I have my sources." Ino said, that same aura of mystery surrounding her words, as always. "You should know that by now." And that was true. No one knew how, but Ino seemed to find out everything, no matter what it was. It was different from just simple gossip- she knew facts. And she was never wrong. The fact she knew about Gaara, despite having no possible way of knowing, was only a slight surprise.

"Yeah, yeah. Shoulda known." Naruto said, his smile returning. Together, the two of them started walking towards the dorms again.

"So, how is he?"

"Like you don't already know." Ino smiled at that, nudging the young man in the arm.

"Well all I've heard is that he's a bit of a loner, keeps to himself. He doesn't have friends, has a history of getting into fights and has two siblings." She listed off casually.

"Fights?" Naruto repeated, intrigued by that. Sure, Gaara looked a little impatient and intolerant, but the kind to get into fights? "You know more than me then. He hasn't spoken to me much yet."

"Ah, figures." Ino shrugged. "Well you go and try and make friends with this guy quick before you get on his nerves too much."

Ouch. That was a low blow.

"What do ya mean? I'm awesome!" Naruto declared, pushing his chest out proudly. The look the young woman gave him, however, made it shrink back almost instantly. She'd raised an eyebrow, head cocked to the side and a slight teasing smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Remember the bedroom incident in Highschool?"

"…" Naruto went silent instantly, a fierce blush rising up on his cheeks. He hung his head, shoulders rising up to try and help him hide. If he were a turtle right now, he would have shot back into his shell without a second thought. Every single time that incident was mentioned, Naruto felt something horrible- far beyond normal embarrassment. "Oh God, you're totally right." He said, realising that his personality tended to create difficult situations.

"Never doubt me, I'm always right." And with that, Ino stopped in her tracks and gave her- rather dim- friend a gentle smile. "Just don't overdo the hyperactive thing, okay? Maybe invite him along tonight if you can." That was actually a pretty good idea.

"Yeah," Naruto said, offering a slight smile as his blush gradually faded away. "Thanks, Ino."

"No problem. Now go shower," She said, tugging at his sweat-soaked top with her thumb and forefinger and screwing her nose up in disgust. "You stink."

"Price to pay for a body like this!" Naruto said, putting on his cocky act.

"Mm-hm." The woman hummed, rolling her eyes as she released the top and turned away. The cocky act never worked on Ino- not once. "Good luck with Gaara. I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah, see ya!" Naruto shouted, grinning as he waved at her retreating back happily. How on earth he'd been lucky enough to make friends with Ino Yamanaka, he'd never know.

Gaara let out a pleased mewl under his breath, eyes darting around his new home with slight appreciation and new-found pride. He'd finally finished unpacking all his belongings- books under his bed, clothes in the cupboard, etc.- and he was happy with the results. He'd managed to make his side of the room look pretty damn respectable. It was a complete contrast to his roommate's half. Naruto's stuff had been slung under the bed clumsily, some not even out of sight, and his clothes had been dumped in one messy heap in the chest of drawers without any care at all. Naruto wasn't just loud and optimistic, he was messy too.

There was definitely no way they were going to get on.

Nevertheless, Gaara was trying to revel in the relief of finally finishing getting settled in. He was glad Naruto had been dragged away, otherwise the whole thing would have been a huge, irritating ideal. But he also realised that he'd have to get used to that cursed blonde sooner or later, whether he liked it or not. He didn't have a say in the matter anymore. The world had decided it for him.

'Okay, maybe that's a little too dramatic.' The redhead thought to himself, shaking his head at his own thoughts.

"Hey, Gaara!" Came a happy call, shortly followed by the sound of the door being shut abruptly.

'Great. Deep breaths, Gaara, deep breaths.'

"Hey." He muttered back, watching as the blonde bounded into view- still looking how Gaara remembered him. The only differences the younger could see included the obvious tension and tightness in his biceps,- indicating Naruto had been exercising recently- the slightly flustered appearance of his tanned face and the sheen of sweat lightly coating his skin and clothes- causing his top to cling to the contours of his body. Gaara had to drag his gaze away from that sight, just in case the blonde got the wrong idea. He wasn't checking him out, honest, just observing and analysing.

"Oh, hey, you got it all finished!" Naruto beamed, looking around at Gaara's handiwork. He certainly seemed impressed. "Looking pretty damn good, wish I'd got you to organise my side of the room!" He laughed happily, clapping the boy on the shoulder. Gaara wanted to stab him at that very moment. Physical contact was a definite no. And the boy's body made it obvious to the offender.

Gaara's whole body tensed up, skin burning at the point of contact- as though Naruto's hand was branding him. He shuddered violently, stepping away from the blonde as quickly as he could. Kankuro and Temari were the only ones he allowed to touch him like that…anyone else only got physical contact in the form of a punch to the face. Naruto sure did notice- that was for sure.

First confusion, then hurt, then slight understanding crossed the blonde's face as he lowered his hand and cleared his throat awkwardly. Thankfully, he didn't pursue the subject- probably noticing that the poor redhead still hadn't relaxed- and changed the subject.

"So, anyway…I like how you organised it all. Dunno if you noticed, but I'm not that neat, hope that doesn't bother you too much." The blonde chuckled nervously. "Promise I won't let my mess spill over onto your side."

"Yeah," Gaara mumbled, avoiding not just his roommate's eyes but his entire being. Once he'd relaxed and calmed down, then he'd start planning how he was going to kill Naruto. Maybe that very night in his sleep. Worrying thing was, he was only slightly joking…

"So, where're you eating tonight?" Naruto asked, realising that it was starting to get late- approaching the time one's stomach demanded dinner.

"Here." Gaara mumbled, sitting down on his bed. He was staring at his feet intently, looking rather disheartened and dejected. Naruto really did feel bad for what he'd done- even though it wasn't exactly a horrible thing.

"Here? But there's only simple stuff like bread and junk. You're gonna need more than that."

"Had a big lunch." Gaara muttered sharply, annoyed that this guy he'd just met was so preoccupied with him. Naruto, however, wasn't convinced at all. But it wasn't his place to nag the younger teen. After all, he wanted to become Gaara's friend, not his mom.

"Ah, okay. Well me and the guys are going out for a meal tonight if you wanted to come. You could meet a few people and celebrate your first night here." The tanned man offered, starting to feel the awkwardness looming over them again. Was this life from now on? Awkward silences and tense moment?

"No, thank you."

Now that made it clear that something was wrong. Naruto didn't know the redhead well at all (actually, he knew nothing about him) but during their brief time together, he'd never heard Gaara use any manners. No 'nice to meet you's, no 'please's and the like. He really had upset the boy from just a simple touch. His usual touchy-feely approach obviously wasn't going to work well on Gaara. He had to come up with something else.

"Well, okay. I'm just gonna go get ready then head out then. You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah." Came the curt response.

Naruto sighed, deciding to leave the boy alone for now, and headed over towards their shared bathroom. With that, the blonde disappeared from view and Gaara was left alone once more.

'He's such an idiot.' The idiot thought to himself, eyes glancing at the bathroom door. 'But he's trying to be nice. Can't blame him for that, I guess.'

Gaara groaned loudly, climbing up off the bed as though it were the most demanding task in the world. After that awkward situation, the redhead didn't really fancy being there when Naruto returned from the bathroom- especially considering the blonde hadn't taken a change of clothes in with him. The fact Naruto had gone in knowing he'd be coming out with no clothes on suggested he wasn't modest at all. Another thing on the list that would piss Gaara off. This really wasn't going to go very well at all. With that thought in mind, young Gaara thought it best to go for a walk to clear his head and think things through. He'd only been at college a couple of hours and it was already getting to him. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe he should have just got a job after all.

'No use changing my mind now.' Gaara reminded himself, pulling on his shoes as he heard the shower in the bathroom start up. 'Just get through it as best as possible. That's the only way.' But that thought didn't comfort him. The teenager merely let out another long-suffering sigh and headed out of his dorm room door.

"Bless the young and rich with designer drugs and designer friends." Kiba sang poorly, smirking with pure confidence over at his best friend.

"Oh, come on! That's an easy one!" Naruto yelled, punching the brunette in the arm. "That one's 'The City Is At War' by Cobra Starship!" The blonde said, grinning broadly.

"Ah, damn it." Kiba groaned, kicking at the path the group were walking on in annoyance. "Your turn."

"Hmm…" Naruto held his chin thoughtfully as he considered it, trying to pick a good one.

Shikamaru, Sasuke and Ino were strolling a little behind the two- growing a little tired of their antics. They should have been used to Naruto and Kiba's little thing by now but that didn't mean it was any less annoying.

"How long has this been going on for?" Shikamaru asked, groaning.

"Ever since Highschool," the Uchiha answered, rolling his eyes. "There used to be money on it but everyone gradually forgot the amount. Now they just carry on out of competitiveness."

"Typical guys." Ino muttered, watching as Naruto confidently made his choice and bragged that the brunette would never get it right.

"It doesn't take long to bleed when your heart grows cold." The blonde guy sang, that confident smirk plastered on his face still. "You'll never get that one!"

"Dude, seriously?" Kiba snapped, shaking his head in disappointment. "Totally 'Destroy The Obvious' by Evans Blue."

"Aw, what?!" Naruto sighed in frustration, also kicking at the gravel. "I was sure you didn't know that one!"

"Even I knew that one." Sasuke said, pushing past the two of them hurriedly. "Anyway, I'm off to bed. It's later than I expected so I'll see you all tomorrow." The black-haired teen said, giving a simple wave over his shoulder as he hurried into the dorm- leaving his friends confused.

"He was in a hurry." Kiba pointed out. "Anyone know why?"

"Nope."

"Not a clue."

"His brother's visiting tomorrow morning so he wants an early night." Ino said with a sigh, as though it should have been something the three boys should have known. Leave to Ino to know.

"Seriously, how do you know everything?" Kiba demanded, glaring over his shoulder at her.

"That one wasn't even difficult to work out, he's been texting him most of the night." The woman said, revealing the source of her knowledge for once. She must have been tired. "Anyway, I better head out too. I'm about two minutes from exhaustion and, trust me, that is something you don't wanna see."

"No kidding." Naruto whispered, failing to make it unheard. Ino slipped past him, leaning over in the process to hiss into his ear in (what would seem to be) a seductive manner.

"Me exhausted may be bad but nowhere near as embarrassing as the bedroom incident." And with that, leaving Naruto flustered and blushing, she went to bed as well. After that, Naruto was eager to get back to his own room and just sleep.

And so, a little time later, Naruto sneaked into his room as quietly and carefully as he could. Closing the door behind him, he expected the room to be plunged into darkness but instead found it illuminated slightly.

'The bed-side lamp.' He deduced quickly. Gaara was home after all. When Naruto had left earlier that evening, the antisocial redhead was nowhere to be seen and he'd been kinda worried that the brief moment of innocent contact earlier had freaked him out. But the fact that Gaara had returned meant it wasn't a huge deal after all. 'Good.'

Naruto practically tiptoed across the room towards his bed, expecting Gaara to greet him or glare at him or something. However, he was pleasantly surprised to find the boy asleep. The blonde was a bit taken aback by that and couldn't help but stop and observe the sight for a moment. It was odd to see him so relaxed after the day of tension. The boy just lay there perfectly still, without a single sound at all. Ino had mentioned over dinner that Gaara was an insomniac so this was probably a rare sight- good justification for Naruto to take in the sight as best as possible. He had to admit that, for a guy, Gaara was looking pretty cute and sweet curled up into a ball under the covers.

'No way he'll ever look that calm awake.' The blonde thought to himself, running his fingers through his own hair. 'Must have fell asleep with the light on.' Reaching over, Naruto switched off Gaara's bedside lamp and brought darkness to the room. With that, Gaara's peaceful face was gone and Naruto began stripping down to his boxers. With a final glance towards his roommate's bed, Naruto climbed onto his own mattress and prepared himself for a long, undisturbed slumber. He was definitely tired.

It was later that night while Naruto slept deeply, without a care in the world, that the bedside lamp was switched back on by a trembling and shaky hand. Gaara was panting slightly, beads of sweat cascading down his forehead as he pulled his legs up to his chest. The day had been tiring and he had managed to get some sleep but, to his horror, he woke up to find the light he had left on turned off and the room in darkness. Finding himself in the dark instantly made his heartbeat race and his breathing quicken. He narrowly avoided the coming panic attack using relaxation techniques he'd learned a few months before, but it didn't ease the fear that had risen within him.

He was all alone, on an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room at an unfamiliar college. All of that only made the darkness so much more frightening. The only thing currently stopping him from panicking too much was the presence of the room's other occupant.

Naruto was sprawled out on his own bed, snoring rather loudly as he slept. It didn't matter how irritating and annoying the guy was during the day, just the fact that Gaara wasn't alone helped calm him a little. Still, he had to find a way to stop his blonde roommate from ever turning his light off again. But he couldn't just confess his fear to Naruto. Never.

Gaara's thought process was suddenly interrupted by a particularly loud snore from his roommate and, for one reason or another, he felt himself relax slightly.

A/N: There was chapter 2.

In previous stories I've always has a tendency to bash Ino and make her out to be a slut so in this one I decided to be a bit kinder to her. After all, I have nothing against her, she's just an easy target so I hope you enjoy her character.

And yes people, Gaara has a fear of the dark. A fear some people never grow out of (luckily I did!) and something we'll have to wait and see the solution to. So, it seems during the day Naruto is a pain but at night he's a godsend. Wonder how that will turn out…

Anyway, please let me know your thoughts via the reviews!