Disclaimer--I do not own Naruto. That is the unfortunate truth.
Chapter 2
Naruto had to leave Gaara, it was 15 till 4 and he needed to get to work, even if he wouldn't be much good falling over himself for lack of sleep. It took him a minute to say goodbye to Gaara (the question of 'why?' still left unanswered) with a promise to visit tomorrow. It was better than being home at least, with Kyuubi home from his business trip, the relative quiet that Naruto had had for the last couple of days was defiantly broken.
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Gaara stared at the back of the young man that had just left his room. Why did this guy care? Gaara wasn't used to people caring, he was used to people pretending to care, and then trashing whatever trust he might have had in them with one stupid thing or another. That's how it always was, how it's always been, even when his own family is involved.
Gaara's mother died giving birth to him and his father blamed him, he grew up with no one. His two older siblings where to scared of his father to be nice to him, which was reasonable. After the death of his wife, the man became cold and harsh to everyone and everything save for the bottle he kept in his hand whenever he was home.
Gaara got used to it quickly, the lack of love. The only person he count of loving him was his uncle, but that same uncle had killed himself when Gaara was five, so his teddy bear sufficed. Gaara ended up becoming just as cold as his father, if not colder. He let no one see him, his emotions, his weaknesses. For as soon as a person found out one of his few weaknesses, then they were used against him. In the worst possible way. The things that he loved, his bear, the picture of his mother that he kept beside his bed, the blanket that had once been his sisters (one of the few kindnesses from her). All of them were taken away, or used as a threat.
His father loved threatening him. Telling him about how if he didn't do this or that then this or that would be gone when he woke up the next day. His father was also not above hitting his youngest son, especially when he was under the influence of alcohol. Which was quite often.
The nurse interrupted his thinking. "Hello sir. How are we feeling, does your arm or leg hurt? I have your pain medication here, you can take it now or later, but I would recommend you taking it fairly soon."
Gaara stared at her and she looked back uncomfortably. "Well, that's it. If you need anything you can always just press that button right there on the bed," she pointed to the nurse call button, "and I'll come and help you." She smiled one last time before leaving.
God, hospitals were horrid. The sterile smell and the reminders of sickness and death everywhere. When his brother first got sick he was put in PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit), Gaara had never been in a more depressing place before in his life. All the families with sad, no hope faces just made him feel at the more hopeless. Later that week his brother died, the doctors had no clue what happened till it was to late. A very small and very inconveniently place tumor in his brain was pushing his brain around, but the doctors were not thinking neurological. They believed that the problem was somewhere else; the initial CAT scan had shown nothing unusual.
The hospital was where they had let his mother die. The doctors where to concerned with his premature body and making sure that he was okay to check on his mother, and again, it was to late. She crashed. His sister was the only one who cared, but a few years ago she had started to turn to drugs to make her screwed up life better. She was probably at one of her 'friends' houses high off her ass right now, actually.
Gaara's father had gone into a downward spiral after that day, and abused mostly him, but at times his sister or brother. When Gaara's brother died, all the more beatings for him. Gaara sighed and decided to take the medicine, if for no other reason then to make the bloody nurse happy.
He downed the retched tasting stuff and wished that that blond haired guy would hurry up and come back, at least then he wouldn't be all alone…Gaara stopped his train of thought because there was no way in hell that he just thought about actually wanting somebody in his company. It was way to uncharacteristic, Even for his drugged up state.
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Naruto finished his early shift and made his way to his 'home' to get some rest. Thankfully his 'guardian' would be at work right now, though the only thing he needed guarding from was his guardian, however ironic that may be.
Naruto passed the bridge where he had witnessed the accident and made his way across to the dirty old apartments on the other side. For all the work that his guardian did he sure as hell didn't put a lot into where he lived, but then again, none of his business partners where ever invited to their house anyway, so there really was no point. Naruto was the one who was paying for the apartment, and his food. Kyuubi ate with his 'business partners'.
Naruto walked up the steeps and inserted his key into the door. As soon as he made it to his bed he collapsed, exhausted.
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A couple hours later, Naruto found himself in front of Gaara's hospital room door. Again debating on weather or not to enter. After a few more minuets of wondering, Naruto sighed and entered, forgetting to knock, of course. Which resulted in a angry nurse and an amused red-head. Oh, the joy.
"Haven't you ever heard of knocking, boy? One day you'll find yourself giving someone a heart attack, I'd like to see you laughing then!!!" The angry nurse yelled at the giggling blond.
It had been a while since Naruto was in a hospital; he had forgotten how fun it was to annoy the staff. Especial the over reactive ones like, well, the one standing in front of him. Naruto looked at the red-headed boy and actually caught a glimpse of a smile, though it was probably his imagination. In the short time he had known this boy, Naruto deducted that he did not smile often…Or show much emotion at all actually.
The nurse left, having successfully finished whatever task it was she had been doing, and Naruto was suddenly at a loss of what to say to the boy, so he just took a seat in the oh so comfy chair and waited for the boy to initiate the conversation. Which he actually did after about five minuets of a somewhat-comfortable-with-a-undertone-of-uncomfortable silence.
"You never answered my question. Why do you care?"
Naruto looked in surprise at the boy, the lightly smiled. "When I know, I'll tell ya. 'Till then, just believe me when I say I've no idea."
The boy looked at him then smirked.
"Fine."
And with that, a slight friendship was made. One boy broken to the point of giving up his life, abused by his drunk father and too many problems to name. And the other pretty much fending for himself in a world where nobody needed him.
Why is it that the broken people always have to fix each other?
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AN—Yes, I do know that it is short, barely over a thousand words. Sorry, I just felt like that was a good spot to end it. Sorry it took so long to update as well. I had two different camps that I needed to attend, and my brother came home from the hospital, and his birthday it tomorrow (as is his twins, and my triplet cousins with the same birthday), and he starts therapy the day after that. Now, you would think that him going through this would not effect me, but the fact that he has to be under 24 hour surveillance has something to do with it. And while I may not be the oldest sibling he has, I am the most mature…When I'm not goofing off at least. I think I am going to stop typing now because I will end up ranting if I don't. -.-''
Any mistakes you see I will try and figure out how to fix, and if I contradict myself anywhere in this story, please tell me. I hate it when people do that and I try my best not to. I would love any kind of criticism. Thanks.
`~.:Kiwi:.~`
