Title: Not All as It Seems
Warnings: Comedy here, fluff there and lengthy chapters everywhere! BEWARE! Major sap at the end! Tread at your own risk! (I like mah sap happy smile)
Pairings: Gaara/Young (I'm workin' on it, slowly but surely), Tayuya/Shikamaru/Temari (what's this? Another love-triangle? Run away!), Naruto/Sakura/Lee (I love comedy love-triangles, don't you?), Naruto/Hinata (somehow) and Mist/Ino (keep tryin', mate); as I've said time and again, I'm open to requests, but first you have to review… poke nudge
Ah, ah! I'm so sorry about this most slow update! If it's not one thing keepin' me busy, it's another! I finally have this webpage design course out of my hair (stupid compulsory courses!), so I can at last concentrate more on writing! On toppa that, I got sick three times the very first month of the year, and am still recovering from a cold. Phew!
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I'd be extremely rich and thus I wouldn't be writing fan-fictions about its characters. Alas, I am but an (extremely) broke fan who enjoys writing and sates her craving by penning these stories.
Claimer: The character Young Valentine is mine! I created her way back in 2001, and is one out of the few OCs I created that I love, so no stealie! (borrowing is fine, as long as you ask) Granny Nadia is mine also, but was heavily inspired by the character Sophia Petrillo from The Golden Girls.
My Thank You Corner, er, thingy…
DidiTwitches – your reviews always make my day, and give me the inspiration to keep working on my story. That last one was no exception! Thankies!
J. S. Comack – welp, I had no intention on quitting on this story. Updates are admittedly slow, but there are always ideas buzzing in my head and then I have to decide what to pen and what to leave on the back burner… Still, reviews help me go that much faster, because then I know I'm writing it for readers other than myself. Thankies for you too!
SatsurikuSajira – wow! Just when I thought that that was that for the reviews, in comes the most inspirational one possible! I'm so happy to hear that you "like my story as much as Final Fantasy". That's a big'un! Hee hee, don't you worry, I have other stuff in store for Claire. Oh boy, I do! halo appears over head
A/N: Upon reading one of the latest volumes translated for the Naruto manga, and the plot-twist that happened during Gaara's childhood, I've finally been able to forgive Yashamaru. I don't wanna spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet, but I'm sure you'll forgive him too when you do. With that being said, I sure wanna include him in the story, so watch out for him.
Fun little piece of trivia: Gaara's tattoo not only spells out "Ai" (love), but it's also the initials to his seiyuu, Akira Ishida! Isn't that neat?
Chapter 6
Lessons in Friendship and More
9th December, 2002 (Monday)
"So anyways, there I was at the place where I was gonna be meeting the big man, when in comes this bulky maniac and shoves me aside like a sack of potatoes. 'Outta the way, little missy!' says the oaf, 'This is a man's job, and no one would hire a scrawny thing like you in a bajillion years!'
"'Bajillion isn't even a number, you unmannerly hulk-wannabe!' I say right back. Then, he grabs me by the arm in an attempt to go for the attack, but I knee him where the sun will never shine again, hiya!
He leaves, crying like a little baby, and then I notice the big man was there all along and had seen the whole thing.
"'You got spunk, and fists of steel to boot! You, young lady, have got yourself a job!'
"And that, Gaara, is how yours truly got hired to work at the bestest music store on my island! Yes, yes," I finished, giving my chest a proud thump.
It was about an hour since we got shooed out of the coffeehouse, and I still had no means of accessing my apartment, having left everything at Naruto's place. Okay, I can admit it wasn't the smartest thing ever to go and leave the spare key on the same keychain as my house key, but hey, nobody's perfect. Plus, Gaara wasn't all that keen about going back to his place, so that option was also out.
Be that as it may, we found ourselves at this lush, absolutely adorable little park in a rather secluded area. It was just big enough for a few rose bushes and pine trees, and this teeny little pond that was covered in lily pads. Really picturesque.
Anyway, my friend had been sitting on the one available bench as I recounted my story about how I got a summer job last year, with a few altered details here and there. The second and only other bench was occupied by two old ladies, and they couldn't help but listen in to my tale.
"My, my! Did you hear how that story ended, Gertha?" said the plumper of the two.
"I sure did," answered back the more excitable one. "And serve him right, too! Why, back in my day, we used to spank hooligans like that with a hickory stick to their behinds for such chauvinistic behavior!"
"No way! That's neat!" I played along. "Sexist pigs had nothin' on you!"
"Indeed," was all Gaara had to say, not even bothering to hide the massive sarcasm in his voice.
"Hm, if I didn't know any better, young man, I'd say you're not at all impressed by your friend's most brave actions. Shame on you!" Gertha said sternly, looking as though she wanted to thwack him with her walking stick.
"Well, you know how men are. They're only impressed with women if they tell 'em how big, strong, handsome and manly they are; bla bla bla!" I went on, secretly thinking to myself how fun this was.
"So very true, Gertha. So very true!"
"Useless bums is what they are, am I right, Lilia?"
"Uh, aren't you two married or somethin'?" I attempted, not really understanding why my redheaded buddy had dropped his head into both of his hands at my question.
"Married!?" shrieked Gertha.
"Us!?" followed Lilia.
"Oh, just thinking about such nonsense would cause my poor old heart to stop beating!"
"Please risk it," muttered Gaara, to which I gave him a really scathing look.
"GAARA! We're supposed to revere our elders!"
"Heh, girl's got a good head on her shoulders," Gertha smiled, tapping her friend on the foot with her stick.
"And doesn't she just have the cutest accent you've ever heard?" went on Lilia.
"Ya heard that, Gaara? 'The cutest accent'!" I giggled.
"Don't we have something else we should be doing, Claire?" he demanded, his eyes getting that rather intimidating glint.
"The nerve of him! You see that, Gertha? It's just as I was telling you this very morning! Men today are still trying to control their women!"
"Yeah, what a bunch of…! Uh, his woman?"
"You know, dear! You… Him…" Gertha aimed this most poisonous look at Gaara when she said "him".
"No, no, no! There's no me and him! Not like that!" I objected, covering my flushed face with the neck of my jacket.
"Ah, that is good. You have no need for him, am I right, Lilia?"
"Right is what you are, Gertha!"
Okay, at first I simply thought they were a touch eccentric, but now I saw that they were beyond feminist looney toons.
"Um, um, my friend is right, though. We do have something we have to get taken care of. Right away!" was all I managed as I snatched him by the arm and pulled him away from the bench.
"Oh, what a shame! Just as we were all beginning to enjoy ourselves," moaned a disappointed Gertha… or was it Lilia? Oh, well. I was never really that good with names.
Once we were safely out of the old ladies' hearing zone, Gaara grumbled, "For someone who doesn't know how to lie, you really know how to exaggerate your stories."
"I'll have you know that that really happened!" I interjected, poking a finger into his chest.
"First of all, I can see your fingers crossed behind your back."
"I had an itch! Kill me!"
"Second of all," he continued, ignoring my remark completely, "did you have to carry on a conversation with those two lunatics?"
"Was just trying to be polite," I said sheepishly. "I thought they were kidding about their men-hate, honest and for truly. Anyhow, you got to admit that thing about the hickory stick was funny!" With that, I began to chortle, hands resting on my knees.
"Hmph!"
"Tsk, a wise man in my country once said these sage words," I warned, making my voice all enigmatic and stuff.
"What, dare I ask?"
"Lighten up!"
At his glare, I said defensively, "What? It's true! It was my grandpa; he's real wise and stuff, I took some joke or other too seriously, and he told me to lighten up. Get it?"
I heaved a sigh of relief when I heard him let out the tiniest of chuckles.
"How much of your story was true, anyway?"
Ugh, he had to ask!
"All of it! Well, except for the guy shoving and threatening me. And there had been no kneeing whatsoever, nor have I ever been told by anyone that I got fists of steel."
"And?"
"And the meeting place was at my house and the big man was my dad! Now, stop harassing me!"
"Did you really want that job?" he asked softly.
"Heck no! I'm from sea country! I wanted to swim all day and eat ice-cream! Alas, I also really wanted a PSOne, and my parents wouldn't even hear of giving me a teeny raise on my allowance. Thus you get the boring version of my story."
"At least it's the truth."
"Dude, sometimes you got to embellish these things! No one wants to hear boring stories! Am I right, Gaara?"
"You're beginning to sound like those two…" he moaned.
"A nice bottle of orange soda just might sort me out," I tried, twiddling my fingers in front of my face.
'No wallet, no money, no orange soda…! What a bind this is!'
"I'm going home now," he said firmly.
"Wait a minute, what about me?!" I demanded in outrage. "I can't go to my place, and I've already told you I can't go bothering my parents at work. They get so cranky, ya know?"
"No one told you to up and leave everything behind at Naruto's apartment when he's angry with you, did they?"
Eesh, did I mention I can't stand smart-alecks? Because I can't.
"Well, excuse me if I just wanted us to be friends again! What ever was I thinking?"
Hm, that seemed to do the trick. However, before he could answer, there came a familiarly soft feminine voice just behind us.
"Hey, guys. What's going on?"
I turned around to face the mystery girl, and, somehow, I managed to keep in this moan of frustration when I saw it was that redheaded chick from this morning.
I hadn't noticed it then, but it could very well be because I'd been trying to ignore her as much as was humanly possible, but now I could see she had on this most incredible black coat. I felt so tempted to reach out and feel for myself if it was as soft as it looked. In one of her gloved hands, she was holding a rather expensive-looking violin case.
'Oh, man! She's a musician, too! How can I compete with her?!' I inwardly whined.
Eyeing her a little more closely, I suddenly realized that she was shorter than me. It was hardly noticeable, but it still counts, because I sure as heck noticed! She is shorter! It's a flipping miracle!
"I knew I would triumph!"
With my hands still raised above my head, I then noticed that the other two were looking at me as though I'd suddenly gone completely insane.
"Er, it's a song I've had stuck in my head all day… Haven't you ever heard of the amazing '60s masterpiece called, 'I Knew I Would Triumph!'…?"
"Mm, not really, no," the girl said ever so politely, a few strands of hair wrapped around her pinky. Then, she turned her gaze onto my friend, who suddenly seemed to find his shoes to be the neatest things ever since the invention of s'mores.
'Mm…! S'mores…!'
"Hello, Gaara," she greeted in a most sweet voice, "Really pretty evening, isn't it?"
Her answer came in the form of this really strange, unintelligible sound, like a cross between a groan and a sigh. He flat-out refused to make eye-contact with her. She didn't even bat an eye at what would normally classify as sheer rudeness. It was almost as if she was pretty much used to it.
"It gets so lonely walking to my violin class all by myself… Won't you be a gentleman and escort me just this once?" she tried again, giving her case a very delicate thump with her knuckles.
'Say no! Say no! She's trying to tear us apart! Reject her!' I kept chanting in my head, aiming fiery daggers at her. Then, I tried to pretend not to care, and turned my attention back to the park, where the two elderly ladies were still conversing excitably between themselves.
However, I simply couldn't ignore that rude noise he made yet again in answer to her request. Okay, I may not like her, but there was no excusing his mean attitude towards her.
"Bless you, buddy," I said in a fake sympathetic voice, giving him a scolding smack to the shoulder.
"Ah, well, I understand you're busy. Next time, maybe? 'Kay, bye!"
With that, she jogged away, her coat swaying cutely against her hips as she waved to us.
"Hey, you can look up now. The oh-so scary lady is gone."
"That wasn't funny," he groused.
"Good. I wasn't trying to be funny. If you didn't wanna accompany her, all you had to do was say no. I mean, that was just plain rude. I really didn't expect that from you." Oh wow, praise the heavens! I'm sounding mature!
"Would you just be quiet for a change?!" he snapped in irritation.
"Argh, you're such a bocciagalupe!" Then, "Aw, jeez! I don't want us to fight yet again, and so soon…"
"I don't want that either," Gaara agreed in a much more gentle voice, placing a hand on my arm.
"Okay, okay, let's not get all sappy," I mumbled nervously. I knew I was getting this close to doing something extremely giddy to him, not to mention something I'd never done before in my whole life. Plus, I realized, those two crazies were now watching us, both of them looking scornfully at my friend.
"I think we'd better get moving before you find yourself spontaneously combusting," I muttered while pointing a thumb behind me at the two women.
v-v
Having attempted to reconcile with Naruto, not to mention get my stuff back, which both failed miserably, I was left unable to go home.
"I don't get it! I'm not allowed to talk to my parents at work, but my brother gets to stay with them all he wants! It's a conspiracy, I tell you! Who invented little brothers, anyway? They do nothing right!"
A soft clearing of Gaara's throat finally got me out of my tirade.
Oh, whoops! He's a…
"I-It's no reflection on you, of course!"
"Of course," he smirked.
"Hey! I just remembered!" I said all of a sudden, my voice becoming rather stern. "Earlier, were you really going to call me a… er, well, the 'b' word?"
"Excuse me?" he asked, looking sincerely confused.
Stopping in my tracks, I placed my hands on my hips, but, feeling stupid, I tucked them behind my back.
"Uh, how shall I put this?"
Oh, yes. I might have neglected to mention that I do not swear, not even in my head. Heck, sometimes, I don't even feel comfortable spelling such things! (okay, there were those times back then, but I didn't know what those words meant, honest!)
'Still, he must know what I mean!'
Then it came to me.
"Were you gonna call me a female dog?" Eesh, now why did that sound so much better in my head…?
He gave me a most bemused look, but at the same time his eyes looked really remorseful. He looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't get the words out.
"Thought so."
When he cast his eyes downwards, I was actually scared that he was going to withdraw all over again.
'I won't have it!'
Without thinking of anything else I could do, I threw an arm around his shoulder. "No more moping, Gaara! It's not a big deal, anyhow!"
"It must have been, since you asked," he responded softly.
"Nonsense! I was just checking! And look," I argued, holding up my other hand, "my fingers aren't crossed neither!"
He let out a sigh, but said nothing more. Gently removing my arm from his person, he began walking again. Moaning in frustration, I made to follow then froze again. A store's window covered in retro gaming posters had suddenly caught my eye; lifting my head up a little, I read the sign, which had a few tiny icicles dangling at the bottom.
"Old School Gamers' Haven, eh? That's for me!"
Ah, but I couldn't leave my friend by himself, feeling the way he was. I quickly ran to him, then halted in front of him and held out both of my hands in front of him.
"Let's have a quick look at that store over there," I attempted, my feet bobbing up and down with excitement. "Please, please, puh-lease!" I continued begging, knowing fully well that the chances were very low that he'd actually say yes.
"Okay."
"Aw, shucks! Who asked you, anyways!? I can go by myself!" I huffed with my nose held high in the air. "So there!"
"You do realize I said yes, don't you?" Gaara demanded, his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed to be deciding whether to look cross or amused at my overly dramatic reaction.
I quickly replayed the scene in my head, then, "Hm, so you did… Oopsie!"
With that, we went in quietly. Well, Gaara went in quietly. I went in as fast (and noisily) as my legs could carry me; it's another little thing I do!
Wasting no time, I began browsing every single aisle, marvelling at the fact that this store only carried the oldest of games, for the oldest of consoles, dating all the way back from the early 80s.
"Wow, the original JAPANESE Final Fantasy! What a shame I don't have a Nintendo!" Then, realizing my blunder, I amended with, "I meant a Famicom!" (just in case a fellow gaming-geek heard me)
Placing the box oh-so carefully back on the shelf (I surely wouldn't be able to afford buying it if I damaged it, not for $200!), I went over to where Gaara was standing, holding some box close to his face, looking abhorred.
"What's eating you?" I dared.
"Is this normal?" he asked, turning the box over for me to see.
"Ooh, Final Fantasy III! The Final Fantasy that has yet to see an official English translation!" I squealed, grabbing the box away from him and holding it close to my chest.
"Did you see the price?" he asked, as though awaiting for me to be really disappointed.
With dread now, I lifted the box just a touch, and nearly had a heart attack.
"$400! That's four PSOnes put together…!" I groaned, snapping my fingers.
"You don't sound all that surprised…"
"Well, this is a vintage gaming shop. I kinda saw prices like this one here coming," I said, feeling pleased that here I knew I was going to sound much smarter than him. Handing the box back to him, I marched off to another aisle.
Craning my head up as much as I could, my eyes went as wide as dinner plates when I saw that they had Sam & Max Hit the Road. Man, I haven't played that game in years! It was held at the very top, the battered box covered in dust and looking as though it had seen better days.
'Ah, this isn't about the box, though!'
Suddenly, the door opened up, and two hyperactive-looking boys entered, followed by their mother.
"No. What if they see the game and get it instead of me?" Nodding my head, I called out to my friend to hurry over.
"Can we please leave? I don't like it here," he murmured, very much in disbelief at how a game could cost so much.
"If you help me get that one up there," I said, pointing up at the treasured title.
"I can't reach it from up there!"
"Then give me a boost up. I can't leave here for a second lest those two hyper kids get to it."
Realizing I wasn't about to take any kind of no for an answer, he did just that, though it happened so quickly, I have no idea how. I couldn't stop myself, but at that moment, I got the most terrible case of the giggles imaginable.
"Well?" I heard him ask below me.
'Oh, right, the game. Let's see, now…'
Stretching my arm up as best as I could, I found I was still having a difficult time in reaching it. I stretched it even further, my muscles aching in protest as they reached their limit.
"Claire!"
"Don't get your robes in a bunch! I almost got it!" I scolded my friend's impatience.
Finally, my fingers managed to wrap themselves around the coveted box, and I gripped it tightly. However, before I could voice my triumph, I noticed a flash of blue coming near us, then…
"BANZAI!"
Hearing a grunt from my friend, along with a laugh from one of those kids, Gaara lost his balance and fell flat on his stomach, with me landing quite nicely on his back. As we were falling, the game fell out of my fingers, which then slammed painfully on top of my head, bouncing a few feet away from us.
Without thinking to check if Gaara was all right, I made a dash for the game, just as that little weasel who bumped into us (on purpose, I should add) was about to grab it.
"Yay! It's mine!" I jumped about happily.
The little boy stuck out his tongue at me, then went to join his other whirlwind of a brother. A very unhappy redhead was soon back at my side, looking scornfully at me.
"What? I'm innocent!"
"How are you going to pay for it, anyway?"
It was then I remembered that I didn't have my wallet with me. I nearly burst into tears when I looked at the yellowing price-tag, which was $50; well within my range. Surely if I left it here, those two little brats would take it.
'And break it in less than a week,' I thought in dismay.
"Maybe the guy at the cash register can hold it for me?" I hoped and made my way over.
"How can I help you, dude and dudette?" the cashier asked in an extremely heavy surfer-dude accent. He had straw-like dirty blonde hair and was wearing a t-shirt that had the words 'I Rock!' printed on the front.
"Um, yeah, do you think you can hold this game for me? Just for one day?"
"No can do, dudette. Didn't you read our sign?"
"No… What does it say?"
"We don't take reservations, no matter the situation," he recited, a stupid grin plastered over his face.
"Then, here," came an unexpected soft voice.
Looking at the counter, I saw a crisp $50 bill lying underneath my friend's pale hand.
"Righteous, dude! Steppin' out for your girl like that!"
Rolling his eyes, he crossed his arms and said, "Get on with it."
The man did as he was told, placing the dust-covered box in a brown bag and handing it over to me. The moment the money was in the cash register, we went outside.
Still feeling speechless at what had just happened in there, I couldn't help but to hold onto the red-haired boy's hand and squeeze it tightly.
"I'll pay you back as soon as that dumbie Naruto lets me back in to get my stuff back," was all I managed.
My answer came in the form of him giving me that smile that I was so in love with, and I grinned right back.
v-v
The rest of the way to Gaara's house proceeded in silence. I myself was too busy thinking of how many hours I was going to spend playing the game from my early childhood. When we reached the large iron gates, however, the redhead wrapped both hands around one of the bars but didn't open it. He just stood there, staring at the house beyond with absolute hate and dread.
"Oh! Thank goodness you're finally home! Come on inside before you catch your death of cold! Hurry now!"
Looking up, I saw it was Gaara's mother, who was standing on the porch, holding a teacup in one hand and one of those Christmas catalogues in the other.
"Oh, please! Every logical person knows you don't really catch a cold from…" I began, but at my friend's terrifyingly dark look, I amended with, "W-we wouldn't want to get sick now, no siree! You heard the woman, Gaara! Let's go in before we catch our death of cold!" Under my breath, I just had to say, "yeah, right…"
But holy wow, isn't it just amazing how Gaara could be so thoughtful, sensitive, kind and caring one minute, annoyingly sarcastic the next, and downright frightening after that? I mean, sheesh! Make up your mind, fellar!
Hurriedly entering the house before another one of our arguments could ensue, I gladly removed my jacket, which the lady Sabaku was more than happy to hang for me. However, the minute Gaara set foot inside, she shoved the catalogue and teacup in my hands and began fussing over him. I winced as a few drops of the still-scalding tea dripped onto my hand.
"Where in the world were you, young man? You said you'd be gone for no more than an hour, and you come back after three. Why, you had me worried sick!"
I couldn't keep in the snort that escaped my throat. At the same time, I was amazed at how different this woman was from Gaara's mean father.
"Uh, excuse the interruption, but where's the bathroom?"
"Oh, of course. Why don't you show her, Gaara dear?"
He nodded as I gave the lady her things back.
Inside the incredibly clean restroom, I began to ponder on what I was going to do now. Glancing at my watch, and finding it to be 7 o' clock, I felt really uneasy. My parents weren't going to be home for another two hours.
'I'm gettin' hungry!'
As I opened the door and let myself out, I came face to face with the man of the house himself, and I felt my knees weakening at the impossibly cold look on his face. Any form of bravery I might have felt earlier about facing this guy evaporated away as soon as I made the mistake of making eye-contact with him.
"Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?" he cut right to the point, leaving no room for escape.
"Uh, w-well, sir… Mister… Y-you see…" I stuttered unintelligibly.
With the most opportune and welcome timing ever, Gaara came standing next to me, and I was all too eager to hide behind his back, shaking like a leaf.
"Who is this stupid girl? Who gave you permission to bring anyone here?" he demanded, his voice matching the expression he was wearing.
Before Gaara had a chance to answer, his hands balled into fists, someone called out, "Dad! You have a phone call! Better hurry, cuz it sounds urgent!"
With an annoyed growl, the man pointed his index finger at my friend, "I'll deal with you later." Then he was gone.
"Jeez! No offense, Gaara, but your old man is his own Halloween costume!" I stuttered, voicing my opinion I had of the old man the first time I saw him.
"None taken," answered two male voices, one clearly being the redhead's answer. The second, as it turned out, was none other than Gaara's brother.
"You're one witty kid, y'know?"
"Right now I'm utterly creeped out. Good thing I'd already gone to the bathroom…"
"Well, forget about him. Come on, kids. I want to show you my latest masterpiece!"
"Right, but after that I'd like a glass of orange soda. Oh, and hot chocolate would be nice!" I piped up. "By the way, what is your name? I keep forgetting."
"It's Kankurou. I forgot yours as well, actually."
"Claire, the witty one."
After quite a while of walking (this house IS too big), we were standing in Kankurou's cluttered mess of a bedroom. The thing that struck me was that it was littered with the kind of stuff you wouldn't normally expect to find in a boy's room.
"Hey, why is there wood-chipping everywhere? You a lumberjack or something?"
The moment the question left my mouth, I was given a sharp nudge to my ankle. Well, I wasn't having any of that, and I returned the favor with a kick of my own. Aiming ferocious looks at each other, it looked like it was on for Round 2.
"Are you two even listening to me or what? Sheesh, you kids have the attention-spans of toothpicks, I swear!"
"He kicked me!" I accused.
"Tsk, tsk. You still have so much to learn about girls, don't you, little brother?" he teased.
"Hmph!"
"As I was saying, I've been working for months on this beauty. What do you think?" he asked, holding his rather calloused hands over a wooden puppet that, in my opinion, kind of looked like him.
"Wow! It's so cute!" I squealed, holding it in my arms.
"Hey, hey! That's not for hugging!" Kankurou scolded, and quickly but carefully pried it out of my hands. "That's my assignment for school."
"Well, kudos, mate! I foresee an A+ in your future," I said in admiration of his work.
"I agree," was the red-haired one's response.
"So, what do you specialize in, kid?"
"Me? I'm a gamer, and I do quite a bit of writing also."
"A girl gamer? Well if that doesn't beat all," said Kankurou, running a hand through his messy brown hair.
"Oh, go on! It's not that uncommon!" I pointed out. "Now, about that orange soda…"
"What's with you and orange soda?"
"I love orange soda. Oh, and can I just make a quick call to my parents? Just to let 'em know where I am."
"Whatever you say. Let's go," Gaara's brother answered, and went outside. We followed after him.
"I certainly like him better than when I first talked to him a few hours ago," I whispered to my friend. He chuckled at that, and I sighed in relief that he wasn't really angry with me. Apparently the both of us were still a little on edge about what had happened to us today.
v-v
Amazingly, miraculously even, as I was conversing with my mom on the phone, I was not only invited to dinner, but I was also asked to spend the night so that I wouldn't have to bring my parents over after a long and hard day's work. Will wonders not cease? Of course, the old coot was none too pleased with the arrangement, but since he was in the minority, it really didn't matter.
Unfortunately, fish was on tonight's menu, and I hate fish. As everyone was eating in silence, without even a peep from Granny Nadia (not that she's scared of him, she said. She just didn't want to waste her precious breath on 'that yutz.'), I poked at my fish with my fork.
'Mebbe if I poke it hard enough, it'll turn into something nummy, like a… a cheesecake, with fresh strawberries and whipped cream…'
"Well? Isn't the food to your liking?" the old man asked in a third degree kind of voice.
"I'm sure it's delicious an' all, but I'm not really big on fish."
"I'm tired. Mother, may I be excused?" asked Gaara in an amazingly polite voice.
"Of course, my love. Sleep well," Karura answered. (she has such a pretty name)
"Claire, I'm sure you're tired, too?" he asked me.
"No, not rea-" With his look that seemed to ask, 'Are you really this clueless?' though, my eyes conveniently got really heavy. "I mean, yeah! I sure am! Boy, am I pooped!"
Kankurou had stuffed his fist in his mouth to stop himself from laughing. Temari, on the other hand, was doing everything she could in order to rouse her slumbering boyfriend chappie.
As we were walking, I asked, "Do I have to sleep in the guest room? It's dark and scary. I hate it." I realize I sounded way ungrateful and all, but I really did find it to be scary. There's just no way I'd be able to sleep a wink in there.
"I do feel responsible for most of this. You'll stay with me," he answered firmly.
'Oh, great. Is that so wise? I'm too shy and giddy.'
I said nothing of the sort out loud, of course. I just mumbled a thanks and left it at that.
While he was off finding me something from Temari's night attires that would fit, I kept myself entertained with my new game's manual - what luck that I always kept a spare pair of glasses on me, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to read a thing.
"Heh, heh. Psycho bunny things rule!"
"I'm sorry?"
"Oh hi, Gaara. This book is way funny for a manual," I said in between snickers, putting the glasses and book aside for the moment.
"I'm sure it is," he humored me, showing me a hideous canary yellow nightdress with poofy AND frilly sleeves. "Temari said you can keep it. She never wears it."
"I'm shocked. No, I'm outraged. How could she not wear this lovely piece of clothing? In my country, such travesty is unheard of!"
"Other people say 'thank you'," he said, hardly missing my sarcasm.
"I'd rather sleep in the clothes I'm wearing now than that ugliness, thank you very much. I mean, wearing Naruto's teeny-weeny pajamas was torture enough, but there's no way I'm dressing up as some diseased Disney Princess. Absolutely not no."
"Suit yourself," he said, placing the offending item on my futon in case I changed my mind.
"Surely you have something I can borrow?"
He looked at me as though I was making a funny or something.
"I've worn guys' clothes before. It's no biggie."
"Including mine?" he asked with a smirk.
'We'll see who gets the last laugh around here, bub!'
"Just so you know, and like I told you she would, Granny Nadia told me I looked good in that outfit. She said, and I quote, I looked so adorable. So, ha!" I painfully crossed all my fingers behind my back, not having forgotten that she'd also said, "In a bizarre sort of way."
At his surprised expression, I got a brainwave, "Ooh, ooh! Can I wear it to school tomorrow?" After all, I couldn't possibly wear the same clothes yet again, and there'd be no time to go to my apartment the next morning to change before school.
"Now I know you're not being serious."
"I am, actually. Let's call that your payback for jumping me earlier, and almost calling me the 'b' word on toppa that."
"You wish to go to school in clothes that are far too big for you?" Gaara asked in amazement.
"Boy, do I!" I cheered, thinking wickedly of all the girls' reactions when they saw me in Gaara's clothes. Oh, I can picture their faces now!
'To think that those very clothes are what got me in this predicament in the first place.'
"The Lord DOES work in mysterious ways…" I thought out loud in wonderment, pressing a finger to my chin.
"What?" Gaara asked, looking utterly confused.
"Oh, nothing, nothing…"
He sighed in defeat, then sat at his desk; to do homework, no doubt.
"Oh, come on! You dragged me here when I wasn't even tired! Don't you dare go do more homework now!" I said in sheer exasperation.
"Very well," he said, sounding a little guilty. "What do you wish to do?"
"For starters, I'm dying for that hot chocolate that I never got. I'll just go and get…" I began, both hands already turning the doorknob.
"Stay where you are!"
"Well, sheesh! Who died and made you Master of the Universe?" I snapped, feeling rather hurt at him raising his voice to me like that. However, I decided to hide it by saying, "If you ever talk to me like that again, I'll kick you where the sun will never shine again!" (I wouldn't, really. I'm no fighter in any sense of the word)
"My apologies," he said with a bow of his head. "I just don't want you to run into Father again."
"So much for revering our elders," I joked feebly. "Fine, then would you get me some while I change into that nasty nightie?"
"Weren't you saying that you'd never wear it?"
"Gee, Kankurou IS right. You do have a lot to learn about girls. Don't you know how quick we are to change our minds about stuff?"
At his irritated glare, I said, "Okay, okay. Truth is, I don't wanna get scolded later for sleeping in my clothes."
He gave the tiniest of nods, then was gone.
"Pfft. Like I'm really gonna wear you, you ugly piece of work, you!" I found myself talking to the dress - maybe I am a little more tired than I thought… I picked up the offending article and threw it in a corner of the huge room.
Refusing to think about any of the possible consequences that might follow, I began searching every drawer and such for where Gaara kept his nightclothes. Before long, I found a nice, soft black pair of pajamas that looked like something I'd wear and changed into them in record speed. Obviously, they were far too big for me, but I couldn't care less. How could I, when they were so warm?
'H'yeah… Like I'm really thinking about how warm they are,' I thought swooningly.
Just then, my friend was back, a steaming mug in one hand and a cordless phone in the other. He sighed in utter frustration when he saw I'd totally fooled him, but said nothing and handed me both items.
"Much obliged, my friend," I chortled and pressed the phone to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey! Guess who's calling you on your phone!?" came Naruto's uber-loud voice.
"What!? You're using my phone!? You better say an entire Rosary tonight if you messed with all my stuff, because I'll punch you senseless if you have!"
"Naw, just your phone, oh, and your diary." I could actually see the devious look the blonde must have had on his face then.
"Nice try, you twit. I don't have a diary," I threw back.
"Ah, well. So, what's going on now?"
"Well, let's just say I'm gonna be sleeping in a mansion tonight, and you're not. Bye, now! Don't forget to write!" I said in a sing-song voice, then hung up before he could say anything further.
"Why are you wearing those?" Gaara suddenly asked from behind me.
"Gaara, Gaara, Gaara… How can you be so naïve? Did you really believe me for one second when I said I'd wear that thing?" I asked, pointing at the crumpled nightie.
"Since you've claimed time and again that you're terrible at lying, yes, I did."
"I can bend the rules just a touch when it's in such a good cause," I offered whilst picking out a couple of marshmallows and tossing them in my mouth.
"What now?"
"I'm just going to ask because I want to make sure, but do you have a TV hidden somewhere in your room?"
"No."
"Well, poop!" I grumbled. I began lamenting the fact that I hadn't been able to touch my copy of Final Fantasy IX since I bought it because of all the packing and everything.
"I've been meaning to ask you," he blurted out of nowhere, "Don't you miss your old home?"
"Am I a voluptuous blonde supermodel?" I offered teasingly.
"N-no," he answered uncomfortably.
"Okee dokee, just thought I'd check," I laughed and sat cross-legged on the futon as I took a sip of the hot chocolate. I don't know why, but I felt extremely proud of myself that I'd managed to get Gaara all flustered when it seemed like such a feat was next to impossible.
'Still, it sure is sweet of him to ask.'
Before any more words could be exchanged between us, in came Granny Nadia, looking really irritable.
"What's up, Granny?" I asked her.
"If that yutz badmouths my Gaara one more time, I'm going to wipe that arrogant look clean off his face with my purse," she said in a really calm and collected voice, as though it was not the first time she'd made threats like that.
This was confirmed when Gaara said, "That's what you said a few days ago."
"Don't get smart with your grandmother," she commanded.
She turned to me, eyed me for a few seconds and chuckled, "I see you got bored again, kiddo."
"Nope, this time it was either this or that frilly thing belonging to Temari. I don't do frills, so there you go."
"You mean it has nothing to do with the fact that you like…" Nadia began wickedly.
My eyes widened when it looked like the old lady was about to blab. I quickly cut her off by shouting, "Boys' clothes! Yep, you got me, Granny! I sure LIKE boys' clothes! No way I coulda fooled you!" Hm, is it me, or was I sounding a tad hysterical? Very well could be me.
Granny's sharp expression told me that she indeed wanted to give me away - not to be mean or anything, more like playing matchmaker. While her heart was surely in the right place, things were already too complicated around here. I couldn't deal with being set-up as well, something that could very well end up jeopardizing my friendship with Gaara.
'I can't bear for that to happen…'
The boy in question was looking curiously at the both of us, as though he suspected that this conversation had something to do with him, but didn't know exactly where he fit into any of it. He decided not to say anything, and instead sat himself down on his bed.
Chuckling to herself, Nadia began fumbling in her beaded purse. With an "Aha!" she fished out a small plastic bag filled with chocolate cookies.
One of my major weaknesses having been exposed, I hurriedly covered my mouth with the sleeve of my pajamas to stop myself from drooling with want. Since I'd skipped dinner, I was now extremely hungry, and those cookies appeared before me like a big five-star banquet.
"Uh, Granny, could I…?"
"Certainly better than you eating nothing whatsoever. Why do so many girls your age feel they need to starve themselves?"
"Beats me," I replied without really hearing what she'd said, and gratefully accepted the bag. With that, I began stuffing my face, my manners having left my body entirely. Lifting my face up for some air after having devoured my fifth cookie, I suddenly felt beyond embarrassed at the shocked looks on the others' faces.
Timidly clearing my throat, I held out the bag in front of them, "I'm sorry. Did you want some?"
"Oh, no. Help yourself. Good to see you have such a healthy appetite," Nadia said, now smiling.
Gaara said absolutely nothing, his mouth twitching a little. It looked like he was trying his hardest not to let a laugh escape from his throat.
v-v
"Really!? That's so weird, Granny!"
"Why?"
"Cuz you said you know everything, so you must've heard of him!"
"That can only mean he's not important enough."
"WHAT!?" I exclaimed in outrage. "How can you say that about the great Mr. David Hayter?! He's the holder of the sexiest voice in the entire universe! And he's really dishy, too!"
"Oh? Even more than…?"
"Yes!" I interrupted.
"I'm sure he has nothing on Burt Reynolds, though," Granny pointed out.
"Oh, but he does!" I insisted with my hands clasped to my cheek. "For the longest time I wanted to be his girlfriend."
"You should be thinking like that about boys your age. Now doesn't my Ga-?"
"GRANNY!"
'This woman really doesn't know when to give up, does she?' I thought as I rubbed my brow in annoyance.
It turned out, however, that this time I wasn't in any danger of having my secret revealed, because Gaara was lying on the bed with his back to us, sound asleep.
"You see, kiddo? He wasn't going to find out."
"If you keep this pace up, he will before Christmas," I grumbled.
"So you're finally admitting it?"
"Well, would you look at the time? It sure is late, Granny, and I'm sure you want to catch up on your beauty sleep," I babbled as I pushed her by the shoulders and out the door.
After all was said and done, I found myself plopping down on the very soft mattress of Gaara's bed. Resting my chin on one hand, I unconsciously reached out with the other and drew circles on his back with my fingers.
"It's going to be a long night."
v-v
I was walking by that tiny park from last evening as snow fell lightly from the gray clouds above. For some reason, I was wearing very little to protect myself from the cold, which is so unlike me. I'm usually not comfortable without at least three layers of tops, not including a jacket. Yet, there I was in some flimsy pink tank top and matching shorts. For another reason also beyond me, I was barefoot, but I wasn't feeling any discomfort.
All of a sudden, I felt a soft tap to my shoulder, and it was NOT snow. I took a defensive stance and spun around, ready to take on, or pathetically attempt to, the intruder.
I sighed in relief when I saw that it was only Gaara.
'But why is he looking at me in that really odd manner? I want my mom!'
"Um, Gaara… Stop looking at me like that or I'm… I'm gonna tell on you!" I threatened.
'"I'm gonna tell on you"? That's the best you can come up with?! Gosh, you're lame!' I scorned myself.
As though I'd said nothing, he raised his right arm.
'What the heck's he doin'? Does he want to shake my hand?'
A mini version of myself suddenly appeared in my mind and began to dance around with joy as it screamed like some peppy cheerleader. Why, you might be asking? I shall tell you. There was dancing going around in my brain because at that very moment, my red-haired companion had the palm of his hand resting most casually against my cheek.
"I've denied it to myself for too long," he finally said.
"What? That you're a vegetarian?" I mumbled, pretending that what was happening right now was perfectly normal. Oh, sure. I was dressed like I was going to the beach in the middle of winter, it was snowing yet I wasn't at all cold, and my secret crush was acting as though we were a couple… Yes, yes, definitely normal!
"I've been denying how I feel about you," he corrected.
'OH HEAVENS ABOVE!'
"But-but-but… How could you have been denying it for ages if we've known each other for only a few days?"
"It seems so much longer when you're in love."
"IN LOVE!? Are you insane!?"
Then I remembered something most important.
"W-what about that Young chick? I mean, you're not gonna stand there and tell me…"
"She hardly compares to you, my love," he said with that stunningly beautiful smile of his as he pressed a pale finger to my lips.
"I am NOT your love! Sabaku Gaara, I order you to come back to your senses this instant! And stop touching my face!" I hollered and smacked his offending hand away.
'This is happening all too fast.'
"I know how you feel, you know?"
"You're nuts! You hear me? You're acting like a freaking nut!"
Again, he acted as though I'd not said word. Only this time, with Mini-Claire bouncing more giddily than ever, he was bending his head close to mine. In defiance of my earlier actions, he placed both hands on my face.
I didn't like where this was going, but at the same time, I was extremely excited. I wanted to do something with my arms; perhaps smack him silly for having completely invaded my personal space… or, maybe I could be a lady and return the affections… or, should I make him see stars for thinking for even a moment that I wanted him to kiss me…?
"You DO want him to kiss you, you pea-brain!" exclaimed Mini-Claire, now sporting two pom-poms and performing incredibly flexible gymnastic moves.
'Wah! I'm so confused!'
Oh, dear… Our faces are getting closer…
My once-limp arms began to move of their own accord, finally bringing one hand to rest against Gaara's neck, while the other lay on his hip.
His mouth was so close to mine now that I could feel his warm breath against my skin, which began to tingle like crazy.
My heart was beating so painfully hard and fast that I began to feel faint. Stars were dancing in front of my eyes. Not much longer until I completely collapse…
'Is this real…?'
ooo
I opened my eyes as wide as they could go, letting out one raspy breath after another. With my head still laying on the pillow, I saw Gaara's face on top of mine.
"Kyah! Get away from me, you nasty pervert!" I screamed, and bashed my pillow continuously against his face. "Let's see how you like being touched and handled when you don't want to be!"
Within seconds, my friend snatched the fluffy weapon away from me and threw it aside.
"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" he demanded.
"Have you lost your mind? What do you think you were doing, leaning over me like that?" I demanded right back, pointing two accusing fingers at him.
"You looked like you were having a bad dream. I was simply checking up on you," he said matter-of-factly.
"Dream…? Of course, that's all it was…! It was only a dream. Hardly real, and certainly NOT based on any fantasies of mine…! The subconscious mind, huh?" Great, I'm babbling again.
Looking around the room and trying my hardest not to look at him, I groaned in disappointment when I saw it was still really dark outside. Through the window near the bed, I could make out rather faint flashes of lightning in the distance; strong gusts of wind was blowing ferociously against the glass as though it wanted to tear everything apart.
'Great… A storm is approaching. Just what the doctor ordered…' I groaned again as I dropped my head into my hands.
"What's wrong?" Gaara asked in concern, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Man, I'm not gonna tell you again! Enough with the touching!" I almost shouted at him. But upon gathering the courage to look into his teal eyes and saw the genuine worry and care in them, I felt absolutely guilty for even thinking of saying such a thing to him. It's not like he forced me to have that crush-induced fantasy of a dream, and he'd never actually… Oh, you know!
Also, I was still feeling really confused. While on the one hand that dream made me uncomfortable beyond all reason, on the other I wanted to see how it was going to end right before I woke up.
"Sorry, Gaara, but that dream was a real doozy. I'm just a little shook up is all."
"Maybe if you talk about it, you'll feel better," he suggested, now giving my shoulder a comforting squeeze.
'Why is he being so sweet?' I wondered with a sniff. I hated feeling this way, truly hated it.
Suddenly, a troubling thought entered my brain; Dream Gaara had said he knew how I felt; did the real Gaara actually know somehow but decided to keep that knowledge to himself?
'Egad, I hope not!' I inwardly whined as I chewed nervously on my fingernails. 'When did I fall asleep, anyways? I don't remember going to sleep. I don't even remember getting in the futon? Did he actually…?'
I decided I'd rather not find out. I had enough images in my head, and I doubt my brain could handle more without shutting down on me completely. Instead, I asked him what time it was.
"1 in the morning."
"Aw, jeez," I grumbled as I tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear.
"You do look really shaken. Won't you tell me about it?" he asked, his voice never sounding so kind.
To my absolute horror, when I looked at him after he'd asked the question, I felt tears stinging my eyes. I never ever felt this way before in my entire life; it was a feeling that left me so confused and a little scared. Is it possible that this was more than a crush? Was there a chance that I…?
"Are you crying…?"
"No way! I just have something in my eye, that's all," I said in a pitiful voice, hastily rubbing both eyes with the bed sheets.
'You idiot! No one in their right mind believes that tried excuse anymore, if ever!'
The sad frown my friend was wearing told me right away that he was one of those people that would never fall for such a lie, but he said nothing at all; it looked as though he was at a loss for what he could say at this point. I said nothing either, opting instead to stare at his hand that was now stroking my arm, probably in an attempt to provide me with some comfort.
'I wonder if he treats all his friends this way when they're down? If it were Young in my place, would he be reacting like this as well?'
I nearly let a scream out when I suddenly felt myself being pulled into his arms. I didn't however, and just let my forehead rest against his shoulder.
Sitting in this position, I was reminded of the night when I did this exact same thing when I'd first seen Gaara's nasty father - maybe he was just returning the favor but, deep down, I wished it was for something deeper than that. For a change, rather than denying my feelings, I succumbed to them as I wrapped my arms around his waist.
Yikes! If my parents ever found out about what was happening at this very moment, they'd ground me until the 22nd century!
Still, it would be so worth it, if only he…
'Is there even a remote chance that you like me the way I do?' I wanted to ask him, but I simply did not have enough courage to do so. I was quite sure what the answer would be, anyway. I didn't need any confirmation there. I scrunched my eyes closed so as to stop any further tears from escaping me.
'How could I possibly feel this way after having known him for a few days? How?'
"Is there truly nothing I can do to make you feel better?" His whispered question sounded quite muffled, and this was because, I realized, he had his face buried in my uber-messy hair.
"A cup of tea would be nice," I mumbled miserably. As I said this, I tightened my hold on him, indicating that I didn't want him to let go for even a second. Alas, he didn't seem to have noticed my hint at all as he removed himself from the embrace and stood up.
'Why can't men ever take a hint?' I wondered to myself, getting to my feet as well.
v-v
I could hear my friend's voice trying to reach out to me, but I couldn't make out a single word that he was saying. This time, it was me that was acting all withdrawn and closed up. I just had too many questions on my mind, questions that I was too afraid to ask him.
Did he really have feelings for that Young girl?
Why on Earth did I dream something like that?
Was it showing me how I truly felt, how he truly felt?
Should I tell him about my feelings, even if I myself wasn't sure what they really were?
Why did he hold me? Is it because he truly believes I had a terrible nightmare, or for another reason entirely?
What is the truth?
Argh! This is too much to face alone! If only there was someone I could talk to about this. Someone who truly understood what these feelings meant and wouldn't tease me about them.
I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt myself being guided to a chair. The next thing I knew, I had a hot cup of tea in front of me, with my companion sitting right across me.
"You're not being your usual self," he began.
"No duh…" I returned. "Stupid nightmares. Who invented 'em, anyways?"
'Only it was hardly a nightmare. I didn't even wanna wake up.'
In an attempt to distract myself, I picked up the teacup and took a few nervous sips of the warm liquid.
This was hardly the sleepover I had in mind, I'll tell you this much. One thing I was absolutely sure of was that Naruto wasn't really going to be all that jealous of me after all. Why, he was probably having the best sleep of his life.
"What's on your mind?" asked Gaara as he brought his own cup to his lips.
"Actually, I was just thinking how jealous Naruto must be right now. I can't wait to rub his nose in it for not letting me get my stuff back."
"Really?"
"Really, really."
"You shouldn't. He's a really good friend of mine. I don't want you talking about him like that," he said, very much serious.
"I can think of one other person who's a really good friend," I tossed in ever so casually.
"Who?"
Golly! If I heard him correctly, my smart friend Gaara just had himself quite a blonde moment; or, as I called it, a Rose moment. (Golden Girls, what an inspiration!)
"Barney the Purple Dinosaur," I muttered to him sarcastically. "You, Gaara, you!"
"Oh…"
I thought it was so cute the way he turned his face away, thinking that I wouldn't be able to see the really light tint of pink on his cheeks. I was SO tempted to reach out and stroke them, but, with extreme difficulty, I managed to restrain myself from doing so.
"You're not really sharp at this time of the morning, are you?" At his glare, I cheerfully added, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. You're actually the smartest person I've ever met."
'And the kindest, sweetest, most caring…' Enough already, you stupid brain, you!
"I take it you're feeling better?"
"A little I s'pose."
"You're still not going to tell me about the dream, are you?"
"I would, but I forgot most of it," I said, not daring to look at him for telling such a lie. I quickly raised my cup to my mouth and gulped down the rest of the tea. I let out a deep breath once the last drop went down my throat.
"Do you really write?" came a most unexpected question.
"Come again?"
"Earlier, you said you write. Do you?"
"Ah, well, if these klutzy hands of mine are good at something, it's penning words onto paper," was my answer.
"I'd like to read them sometime."
"Huh?" I gave him a long look, then, "Oh, ho ho! You had me going for a second. I get it; Gaara told a joke! Now that's a good one. Read my… Ha, what a card you are!"
"Do you not want me to?" he demanded with his arms crossed on the table.
"Who told you that? I sure didn't tell you that."
"Then you'd let me have a look?"
Lifting my head up, I saw that he now had both of his elbows propped up on the table with his chin resting on his knuckles. He was also looking directly into my eyes.
"Ah, I didn't say that, either," I said, suddenly feeling really shy and self-conscious. "But, who knows? I might let you check out a title or two."
"That would be nice."
There's that smile again. I highly doubt that he knew this, but he could order me to do anything his heart desired with that smile, and I would do them without question - no matter how outrageous or ridiculous.
'Phew… It's a good thing I have a crush on Gaara and not Naruto, bless his heart.'
"So, what do we do now?"
Gaara answered with a question of his own, "What do you usually do when you can't sleep?"
'Oh, boy. If he's asking me this for tips regarding his insomnia, he's barking up the wrong tree.'
Still, best not to leave him hanging, so I began counting down the stuff I did on my fingers, "I play Final Fantasy VII, watch The Golden Girls, hang around on the internet… Oh, and I listen to VGM a lot."
"VGM?"
"Video game music."
The moment he rolled his eyes at my answer, I gave him a light smack on the wrist. "Don't be so quick to judge something before you've even given it a try. Why, you could very well find Uematsu-sama's music to be the best thing your ears ever heard."
"Who?" the red-haired teen asked in bafflement.
"Wha-? Are you seriously telling me that you've never heard of Nobuo Uematsu?!" I demanded, remembering just in time to keep my voice down.
"No, I have not," he said, sounding like he couldn't care less.
"You're such a know-nothing! First your granny is telling me she's never heard of Mr. David Hayter, and now you're acting nonchalantly about the greatest music composer that ever set foot on this planet… What ever next?"
"Why are you taking it so personally?" he asked.
"The man happens to be my guy hero. With those amazing tunes he's written, you just can't say anything bad about him."
"I'll have to hear them before I can believe you," he insisted stubbornly.
"You know, even my mom told me his music is nice on the ears, and she hates video games even more than you do, if that's possible. I doubt her saying that was just a fluke," I threw at him.
"What else do you do?"
Ugh, what a baby, changing the subject on me like that because he knew he was losing the argument!
"Nope, that's it. I always fall asleep when I do any of those things, which I see are out of the question here."
"So it seems," agreed Gaara.
"Ooh, ooh, I know!" I jumped out of my chair, pressing my hands to my cheeks in unexpected joy. "I'm gonna make a big ole list of what I want for my birthday and Christmas!"
"Your birthday, hm?" my friend said very softly, closing his eyes for a few seconds.
"Yeah. Maybe you oughta do the same. Your birthday's not that far off either, right?"
Reopening his eyes, he said, "I'm too old for that sort of thing."
"Rubbish! You're never too old to make a wish list, mm-mm…" I protested indignantly. Seriously, I like maturity as much as the next person, but my friend was FAR too mature for his own good. Just once, I'd like to see him act like the teenager that he is and have some fun. If anyone ever deserved a good time around here, that would definitely be Gaara.
"I'm not interested."
With a very small chuckle, I told him, "I don't mean to scare you, but you sound so much like one of my favorite heroes in the gaming world."
He chose to say nothing to this, stood up, and proceeded on his way back to his room, with me quickly following. My mind was again racing with thoughts, but at least this time they weren't depressing ones.
Once I caught up to him, I wrapped both arms around one of his.
"Thank you for being such a good friend, Gaara," I whispered gratefully.
End Chapter 6
Yes, yes! I did it! Starting it was the hard part, but once I managed to do that, I couldn't stop working on this chapter.
As you can see, I focused a lot on the comedy factor on the first half of the chapter and dealt more with romance and stuff on the second half. It came out much sappier than I had planned, but it's sadly one of my many weaknesses. blush
First thing I wanna say is that the dream sequence was based on an actual dream of mine, and yes, it DID involve Gaara. (the only difference is that the kiss did occur in that one. I unfortunately woke up in the middle of it… grumble)
Sadly, regarding the retro games, I wasn't exaggerating where the prices are concerned. Old games are immensely valuable to collectors, crappy titles included, and even when they're loose they can sell for a pretty penny. It's actually really bad news for an old school gamer like me.
Anyhow, there's gonna be some more cross-dressing in the next chapter so, hopefully, there'll be more comedy rather than sap. I have to admit I love Gaara's clothes (his second outfit in the original series will always be my favorite), and my dream is to attend an anime convention and cosplay as him. fingers crossed
Speaking of Gaara, I find his character to be so sweet and rather sensitive. He should never compare himself to a certain someone whose name shall not be mentioned in this story (it gets mentioned more than enough times in the anime and manga, thank you very much). He's just so devoted and protective of his friends and family, even when it means putting his life in extreme danger. No wonder he's my favorite. Come on, his ultimate dream is to be needed by someone and that he'd be able to protect that someone with all his might. Isn't that so romantic? smile
Also, I may have forgiven Yashamaru (the uncle chappie), but I just cannot bring myself to forgive Gaara's father. To me, his apology came far too little too late, and his ways of dealing with his son to see if he's worthy and stuff were just too cruel in my opinion. Bless Gaara's heart of gold for being able to forgive the man for all the pain he'd caused him. What a character!
One more thing, isn't Granny Nadia such a tease?
sits in a corner and begins to pray for a review or two while daydreaming about Ishida-sempai
(I have such a HUGE crush on Akira Ishida-sempai -Gaara's seiyuu- that it's not even funny. It's not just the looks; his voice is so incredible and soothing, he's a terrific voice-actor and works so hard, and he's such a sensitive man - one of my favorite qualities in a person is sensitivity. That horrid press reporter should just go and jump in a volcano for his tactless and spiteful review about Ishida-sempai)