Hey guys, I'm sorry I'm taking so long. With everything I have to do Concrete Naruto sinks to the bottom of my list. I guarantee I've lost quite a few readers because of how slow I am. But I GOT ACCEPTED INTO TWO UNIVERSITIES! SO I DON'T CARE! HAPPY HAPPY (yes I will of course only be going to one) but ehem... yeah... also lately I've been distracted with my new favorite band... Tokio Hotel. They're amazing, I love them so much and the twins, Bill and Tom, are so adorably hot. I order you to listen and love haha. Anyway, I'm also taking long because I can't seem to fit the pieces and sections of the last chapter to what I have plans for. I've got the start and the climax and the conclusion to the event in my head but I can't get from the beginning to the climax without it feeling awkward... so hopefully this chapter doesn't feel too awkward. Thanks for still reading .

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Concrete Angel

Chapter Thirteen:

"We're one in the same," Those words ran through Naruto's mind as he walked through the park, pondering what he was going to do. Just yesterday he'd been saved from his fate, and Emi had not even returned this morning. Though he wanted desperately to know what the Sabaku's had said to her, he just as much did not want to know because then it might give him reason to fear the one person who understood him. Sure Sasuke sympathized and comforted and wished for Naruto's well-being, but he'd never experiences anything like what he'd gone through. He didn't know the feeling of being completely and utterly alone. He didn't understand the harm one person can truly put on another person. He didn't understand the violence that was forced into life due to a corrupt family member. (1)

The blonde sighed deeply, raking his hand through his freshly washed hair. Well fresh from last night. A shower was a luxury to someone like the Uzumaki, and last night he was able to have one without fear that Emi would walk in and slam his head into the tiles and threaten to chop his... Naruto shoke his head at the thought, thankful that Gaara offered him his protection.

"She's not going to do this anymore," the redhead's serious face and tone were lodged permanently in his thoughts. It was impossible for Naruto not to think of Gaara, especially after last night. The events that happened... were so mind boggling... so vivid... so... new.

Down the steps. Each step creaking loudly. Both were careful not to step on the broken step. Naruto's hands were trembling with fear of the unknown.

Gaara's eyes darted slowly around the damp, unattractive, dirty and cramped room. Though Naruto stared intensely at the Sabaku's face, he couldn't at all tell what he was thinking or feeling.

"You sleep here?" the question was bland, with no emotion behind it.

"Um... yeah. I can't really be upstairs and-" He cut himself off as Gaara nodded slightly, somehow it seemed as though it would be rude to keep speaking while Gaara was... observing?

While Naruto stood in silence, fidgeting with his hands, the redhead's dark eyes found Naruto's sorry excuse for a bed that was still stained with his blood. At this, Gaara's eyes narrowed slightly. Naruto was only able to catch this because of how closely he was watching his face, hoping for some type of expression. "On that?"

"Yes." Naruto spoke shortly and precisely, thinking that was how Gaara enjoyed his conversations that the way he spoke to his siblings... or rather how he didn't speak to his siblings.

This time Gaara did not nod. He turned his attention on the blonde, locking their eyes and causing Naruto's heart to speed up. They were only a few feet away from one another but it seemed that each step the redhead took towards the Uzumaki took an eternity. Naruto could not comprehend what was going on or what was going to happen. All he was sure of was the beating of his heart which was loud and fast. Then he was sure of the soft, steady breath of his neck. Gaara's lips were dangerously close to his ear and Naruto's blue eyes couldn't help but widen to an ulitmate degree.

"What's happening!" The Uzumaki thought frantically as he didn't dare to breathe.

"We're one in the same," Gaara seemed to whisper but in all frankness he said it in his normal tone, "you and I."

Then all thought process was lost when Gaara's lips met Naruto's neck, shortly followed by a sharp yet gentle bite. (2)

It was a very strange situation, but it didn't last long. Gaara had pulled away soon after than sat Naruto down on his bed and told him, in full detail, his life story. From his childhood with his uncle, juvi, and how he and his siblings moved to Konoha to get away from a very bad situation.

Naruto instantly assumed it was more bad situations like he'd gone through as a child, like the children neglecting him, his father abandoning him, the villagers shunning him and his uncle attempting to kill him. At least that was how he seemed to led on.

It made him feel comfortable to have someone opening up to him, but also uncomfortable with how Gaara's predator-like gaze was locked on him. It was as though the redhead could see right through him and into his broken soul. This unnerved him to the very core. His heart was beating so loudly that he was surprised Gaara could not hear it. And he was trembling so much that it also surprised him that Gaara had not noticed. Or maybe he'd noticed both, but his unchanging expressions gave nothing away.

When Gaara was finished with his story, Naruto heard footsteps from upstairs, then a female voice called down from the door they'd left open. He recognized it as Temari but his heart beating made it hard for him to understand her words.

Gaara stood, pulling the blonde up to his feet with him and lead him to the steps.

Naruto could only follow, something again was telling him to stay quite and that something urgent was about to happen. Up at the landing in the doorway, Temari was waiting with her hand on her hip. "We got the stuff. Want us to start?" She asked in a bored voice, her little brother nodded up at her as they walked up the steps. The blonde nodded back in acknowledgment then turned away to walk toward the kitchen.

"Stuff? What kind of stuff?" Was all that went through the Uzumaki's mind. What were they planning. Naruto, of course, never had much experience with socialization so he had no idea what to expect or why he had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe it was from Emi stomping on his stomach? But, for some reason, he did not think that was the case.

He had to admit, however, that when he reached the top of the stairs and peered into the kitchen he would have never expected for Temari and Kankuro to be sweeping and mopping the floor. His expression went blank and all he found himself doing was blinking stupidly.

Temari caught this stare and rose her eyebrow with a nasty look, "What, never seen someone sweep before!"

"Probably not," Kankuro chimed in sarcastically, "Pathetic Cinderella probably does it all himself, if anyone's ever cleaned this craphouse."

Naruto could have felt offended by this comment but it was the truth. Emi never cleaned anything in her house, Naruto was the only who would clean the house. But he could only clean the downstairs kitchen, living room and bathroom. He could only imagine what horrendous state her bedroom was in, because he couldn't go up and clean it. She would no doubt notice how clean her room got and then he'd be beaten to a bloody pulp if not beaten to death.

"While we do this you should get yourself cleaned up blondie." Naruto couldn't understand it but her voice sounded less spiteful than it had before. Maybe it was her way of subtly welcoming her into their group? He couldn't only hope.

In the end, he took that shower gratefully. It had felt so good to have hot water washing over him. It was even better not to have to worry about rushing and not leaving behind evidence of his presence in the shower because he could actually take his time and enjoy. For some reason, however, he had felt a little awkward to be taking a shower while the Sabaku's, mainly Gaara, were in the same house.

Naruto kicked a stone in his path, thinking hard about Gaara's effects on him. What was this feeling he held over him? He sighed audibly, the rock he was kicking bounced of the path and he didn't want to follow it into the unevenly cut grass. What ever this feeling was that the redhead evoked, didn't matter right now. He'd figure it out, eventually. For now, he knew he could trust the Sabaku's because they were going through all this to protect him, because they understood him.

Plus, he also fit in with them, he could be with them without question. With Sasuke... no one could see them together. At least, that was always how it seemed to be. The raven seemed to plan it so they were never seen together. But he couldn't put all the blame on Sasuke, he himself wanted it that way. Naruto was worried that he would damage the raven's reputation and cause him to be shunned and hated, just for associating with the likes of an Uzumaki. Naruto could never will that upon another, especially someone like Sasuke who deserved and had a great life that did not need messing up.

The blond paused in his steps, breathing deeply as he gazed up at the cloudy sky. What was happening to his life? He couldn't comprehend how two amazing people were caring for him so much.

Naruto awoke the next morning to peace. He'd slept comfortably in the new bed Gaara had provided him; warmly because he had given him an abundance of blankets; and pain free because Emi had not so much as looked at him last night. They were so right about everything and maybe his life was finally turning around, he could just about cry with happiness as he dressed and made his way up the stairs to find Emi nowhere in sight. Instead he found...

"Gaara?" The blond's brows furrowed with confusion upon seeing the redhead leaning against the counter.

"We're gonna walk you to school," the redhead's sister's voice called from where she sat on the arm of the couch in the living room behind him.

Naruto turned to question the two he now saw in the room, one of which was filing her purple painted nails.

"And we brought some new clothes, those things you're wearing now are-"

"Disgusting rags." Temari finished Kankuro's sentence off for him, leaving Naruto unsure of whether she was sparing him an even harsher comment from her brother or being naturally mean herself.

"Uh..." Naruto blinked, not really able to register so much in the morning all at once.

"Here," Kankuro threw what the blonde could only determine as black at him, catching him in the face.

Temari regarded him with a testing look, "If you want to hang with us, you'll have to blend in."

Nodding, Naruto headed for the bathroom immediately with the new clothes he was given. Unfolding the clothes once he'd closed the door, he examined them and found that he liked the strange designs. There was a black t-shirt with a dark and twisted animated red fox with nine tails on the front, which Naruto somehow felt as though it suited him, though he couldn't explain it. The dark navy jeans he was given were rather tight but more comfortable than his tattered old pants that didn't even cover his ankles.

Naruto was a little taken aback that Temari was the very first thing he saw when he emerged from the bathroom. And she was close, too.

"Not bad," She judged with sceptic eyes. "Now all we need is some gel for that hair of yours."

"Which he probably never combs." Kankuro added, causing Naruto's eyes to lower signifying the truth of his statement.

He had to admit that he was somewhat uneasy to have Temari fixing his hair and giving him a style (because she couldn't change a style he never had), but he also enjoyed the thought of fitting in and having a group he would actually belong to. This was just their way of accepting him, and his blue eyes couldn't help but glow a bit with happiness.

"Now..." Temari had apparently finished with his hair and moved to sit in front of him on the sofa. "For a little black." Before the eyeliner got anywhere near Naruto's face he jumped backwards.

"What's that?" Though he may not have been that experienced he'd seen girls putting that on.

"It's just eyeliner. So stop being a pussy." This earned her a look from Gaara, or what one could assume was a look since he expression never really changed. She rolled her eyes, "It'll look good."

"But I don't want to wear make-up." Naruto argued, he was already different enough, he didn't need make-up to make him stand out even more.

Temari was obviously frustrating, wanting to finish her task without any interruptions from the other blonde. "Gaara wears make-up and he's sexy, right? It'll do the same to you."

She obviously knew what she was talking about, even though it was apparent she wasn't going to go into details but Naruto was still a little unsure.

With a loud, irritable sigh, the blonde came to a conclusion. "Fine, let me try it first and you can see what you look like. Then you can take it off." She received what could be interpreted as a look of approval from the younger, redheaded brother for this comment. As well as getting Naruto to finally sit back down. "Look up."

"Wow, didn't take him long to get acquainted with the delinquents," Kiba nodded his head in the direction of the group now walking down the hallway.

Sasuke turned his head to see Gaara in front followed by Kankuro and Temari and he had a cute emo-looking blonde by his side. Wait... that blonde was. "Naruto?"

Kiba gave a strange look at the fact that Sasuke had used his first name, "That's the Uzumaki alright. No surprise he'd be hanging with the new delinquents."

"Okay Kiba enough!" Ino snapped, "You know how to use a big word, bravo. It is not going to make us think that you might actually have a brain after all."

"At least I know big words. The most you know are some fruity flower names."

"Which are their LATIN names! What do you know in a different language?" The angry blonde challenged with a glare that could probably cause Kiba to spontaneously combust if she had some supernatural power.

Kiba returned this glare-of-satanic-evil with a cute, cocky smirk. "Actually I know how to swear in seven different languages. Almost all the curse words you can think of, I know."

Ino rolled her eyes with a huff, "Figures. That's all a mutt would know."

The pointless fight continued on after Kiba made a comment that involved dogs pissing on flowers, but Sasuke was no longer around to mediate. He'd left at the very start of the argument, in pursuit of the blonde he thought he knew. He was thinking that Gaara might have some kind of an influence on his but he didn't think it would occur this rapidly. The raven hadn't even had an opportunity to warn him about the Sabaku's past.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called after the blonde had left the last of the Sabaku's at their classroom. The blonde turned around with the very same smile he rarely saw but with very different eyes. He looked... well needless to say the emo look worked very well for Naruto. His beautifully deep blue eyes were accented so well by the black eyeliner they had him wearing and the red eyeshadow looked gorgeous on him. His hair spiked up in every direction looked phenomenal, and Sasuke couldn't help but think that the design on his black t-shirt suited him very well.

"Hey Sasuke," He paused, noticing the astonished and admiring expression he was being given. "Umm... what do you think?" Was the only thing he could come up with to say.

"You... you look... different. Very different but wow... why did you?" Though the raven already knew the answer to the question he was too in awe of the blonde's new style to really care.

"Well this morning, Temari insisted that it would look good. So I tried it and... it doesn't look bad does it?" He asked meekly, somewhat afraid of what Sasuke would think and the fact that all he'd been called was different seemed to unnerve him. What if Sasuke thought he looked stupid with this make-up on?

"Not at all. You look really... great." Sasuke had to bite his tongue from saying sexy or hot or delicious or any other related word that flashed through his mind like an infomercial.

Naruto inwardly let out a sigh of relief, thankful Sasuke liked this look. "Thanks."

"So do you-" Sasuke's invitation to hang out after school was cut off by the loud morning bell.

"Oh, I have to hurry. My class is on the other side of the building. Talk to you later?" Naruto spat out quickly as he rushed away through the hallway, leaving Sasuke without his question finished.

"Damn..." Sasuke muttered under his breath. He'd have to tell him about the Sabaku's later. That is... if Naruto would even listen to the "bad" things he had to say about his new friends. Or if Sasuke could think coherently with an incredibly sexy Naruto unintentionally turning him on.

(1) "If only he knew!" Oh look, I read most of your minds ;P

(2) AHAHA sorry if I led you guys into thinking something more... yaoi was going to happen between them, but I just had to, it was so open especially with a lot of your guys' reviews. But sadly, our Naru-chan is not quite ready for that particular level... yet.

So this one's a little longer, hope you liked it and hopefully I'm not taking too long to get to the point of things but little details in between must happen or else nothing will make sense... though I would love to skip all this and move onto scenes that I've already written... sigh Anyway . thanks for reading, I don't promise I'll be quick or slow with my next chapter because my life is so chaotic and off-schedule right now that I don't know when I'm doing what anymore (except work... which has to be scheduled haha).