Hiya~

Chapter One - The Hourglass

Loud.

It was his constant thought as the teen walked through the bustling streets of Konoha. Konoha, a calm and orderly place, is a small Japanese City nestled between Osaka and Tokyo, near the between of Mt. Fuji. Because of this, its architecture was a blend of those new low-rise buildings, compact homes with monochrome coloured tile roofs, and every once in a while, you'd pass a traditional machiya tucked away between their more modern neighbours and Konbini's. Its surroundings were nature, mist-filled mountains breeding life to scary stories kids would tell each other, and riverbanks that bled from the mountains that bowled them in, hidden away from the world.

Gaara hated it.

The city was too small, feeling more like a prison than a city. Its community was too small to disappear in, meaning most people knew you or at the very least, of you. Tight-knit, polite, and old. Most people's views were close-minded and traditional. So the 6'1 redheaded punk with the off-putting looks was not someone they wanted to be around. It didn't help that their father was a notorious drunk who walked the streets at night like some earthbound demon, looking for his next drink.

So, of course, they knew his kids.

Temari sometimes would be called by the bars their father went to, to please come get the useless drunk, as he was causing a scene or wasn't paying his tab. She would pay out of their money, which was all they had to keep the lights on, and it caused arguments between the three of them: Temari, saying he was their father, and Gaara, saying to leave the man to just die, like he clearly was to them. Kankuro would try to speak up for Temari, saying he didn't mind where money went, but he also didn't want his little brother's wrath either, so he would usually just sit and watch, waiting for the fallout.

Gaara sighed.

He looked up at the sky with a dull expression. "Just one more year." He mused. He could get away from this place, these people, and live in the solitude he wanted.

The sounds of pushing cars and giggling schoolgirls filled the air around the redhead, bouncing off the monotonously colored buildings as he made his way towards his new school. This school, Konoha High, was the only place willing to take him in. After much begging from his sister, who did her best to get him reenrolled in multiple schools, only to be turned away. They relented and let him in, but on several conditions.

One, he could not be caught doing anything against school rules.

Two, his grades could not drop below an overall 85%

Three, he had to go see a counselor twice a week.

He didn't care about it; his only reasoning for even going to school was that a job is harder to get without graduating.

And how would he be able to move out if he didn't have money?

His only real goal in life, getting away from them.

Gaara continued to walk to school, those on the pavement wearing wary looks as he passed. Gaara's appearance didn't help his "That's a bad guy" reputation, with his deep, dark circles around his eyes. It made those piercing teal orbs of his all the more intimidating, it made it hard to look him in eye from what he understood. He was sure people thought he was some thug, his hair color, even though it was natural, didn't help much either. All Gaara was, was a guy wishing he was between worlds, a place where only he existed, unseen by others.

The redhead found himself sighing again.

As long as they left him alone.

Being alone was all that mattered.

Like sand in an hourglass, he biting his time.

Konoha High School

The gates loomed ahead, and Gaara felt that same pull of dull familiarity, a sense of being out of place. As he walked through the school gates, he passed several lingering students, who were absorbed in their conversations. The latest episode of some popular show, some gossip about a J-Pop idol, or who was dating who- all the things he didn't care for or about. The chatter and whispers grew quieter as he entered the schoolyard, passing them by. Eyes turned in his direction, faces full of judgment or shock. He could feel their gaze on his back, but it didn't matter.

"omg what a spooky guy.."

"Look at his eyes.."

"Isn't he that guy with the dad..."

Gaara never flinched.

He moved through the crowds like a shadow, people parting for him with the same hesitant precision. They didn't want to be too close, didn't want to risk getting burned by his presence. He didn't blame them. After all, he was sure the rumors that followed him were enough to make anyone keep their distance. It was high school, nothing ever stayed a secret for too long with those who had nothing better to do.

As he made his way down the corridor, the noise of students placing their belongings into their cubicles, changing into their uwabakis as their voices echoed off the walls, felt muffled to him, like he was underwater. He was used to the world sounding distant, as if he was never truly a part of it. The laughter, the chatter, the energy of the school—it all passed over him like it was someone else's life.

His own footsteps were the only thing that mattered.

Then, as he turned a corner, something caught his eye—a figure by their cubicle, struggling with the lock.

The boy had messy blond hair, disheveled and untamed, and his uniform was too large for him. A beige school cardigan, which was just a little too big for him, hung on him like a coat on a rack. He had a white bottom-up underneath and their red & white striped school tie, tied into a loose bow around his neck. He was fumbling with the lock, frustration creasing his brow, but there was something else in his expression, something Gaara couldn't quite place.

And then the boy smiled.

Not at anyone in particular, just... smiling.

like a ghost of a smile.

Gaara turned away immediately.

"Weird." The redhead thought as he walked to the teacher's lounge. Whatever that guy's deal was, he wanted no part of it. Yeah, he was just smiling, but it felt empty, nothing behind it, and what was the point of that? Gaara just sighed as he walked to the teacher's lounge.

He would probably never see the guy around anyway.

Class 1-A

"Everyone... This is Gaara Sabaru, uh, please, uh... make him feel welcomed." Gaara sighed. The teacher didn't even sound like she wanted to do this, like she was hesitant in saying the right thing. "Do you want to introduce yourself...?"

"No." He said firmly. She gave the redhead a wary smile before directing him to an empty seat at the back of the classroom. Students instinctively leaned away as he passed, whispering to themselves in hushed urgency.

"That's him."

"He almost killed someone at his last school."

"I heard his family is messed up."

"Don't look him in the eyes—he'll take you on next!"

It was all routine, and he was used to it. The wary glances, the fear. It didn't bother him. If anything, it made life easier. He had no interest in making friends. People were fickle and cruel, and trusting them led to nothing but pain. Gaara didn't acknowledge them, his expression unreadable as he sat down and looked out the window.

Then, he felt it.

A pair of eyes on him.

He turned his head slightly, his teal gaze locking onto a boy sitting two rows over. Blond, small, his blue eyes wide with something Gaara couldn't quite place. It was him again, the boy from before, eying him with this look of pure curiosity.

Gaara turned away, uninterested.

"What a strange kid." The redhead thought as he looked out the window again. The boy was odd, but in the redhead's mind, everyone was, so what was one slightly weirder person?

Gaara simply concluded he would ignore him.

Naruto could hear the whispers of rumors circling around him, but he didn't take them in. The small blonde knew better than to listen to those, after all, he was on the other end of most rumors himself. What he found himself doing was being absorbed in the transfer student's eyes, those deep teal eyes, just looked as sad as they were beautiful. Naruto watched as Gaara sat down in his seat. He was curious about what type of person Gaara was, despite the rumors already surrounding him.

Sure, he can see why people thought Gaara looked so scary, but to him, he just looked lonely.

Like him.

Was he like him...?

When the new student turned and their eyes met, Naruto felt his cheeks burn instantly, but he didn't turn away. The blonde could feel his heart beat wildly in his chest as those teal eyes pierced him. Was it excitement? nervousness? He couldn't name the feeling, but it didn't scare him. And just as quickly as their eyes met, Gaara had turned back to the window, his expression never once changing.

The blonde put his hand over his heart to steady himself.

He was fascinated.

He wanted to know how a person could have such a look in their eyes. So void of anything, detached from the world, but also a flicker of something? Naruto looked down at his desk, realising he was still staring at the redhead. Naruto wanted to know about him, to reach out to him in a way no one had done for him. Was that ok? Wouldn't someone like that mind?

Would Gaara just find him annoying too?

He didn't like the idea of others feeling alone in the way he did... or maybe he just wanted an excuse to talk to Gaara, to make a friend all his own. He wasn't sure, but he was sure of the idea of talking to Gaara.

Naruto knew he didn't have much to offer.

But he still had his smile.

He hoped, maybe, he could win him over with it

And maybe, Naruto wouldn't be so lonely.

Byeya~

-Maka A Kurosaki.