Title Runaway
Author Uozumi
Genre General
Rating PG
Disclaimer I do not own nor claim to own this. The characters, ect...contained within are not my property. This is an act of fandom and I do not make a profit from this endeavor. I also do not own the song contained within, it is property of its respective owner(s).
Summary "Naruto," he began in a very gentle but firm voice, "you must forget Gaara, because I doubt you will ever see him again." A young Naruto encounters a boy who is very much like himself. Second part added. Done.
Chapter Two
Notes Okay, here's your sequel people! I put it as a chapter two so you would all see it!
Warnings Super slight spoilers for the bit of the manga right after Team Seven returns from their journey to the Village of the Mist.

Runaway

Six years had passed since panic gripped the Village of the Sand. Their demon had been caught, returned, and put under constant surveillance so that he wouldn't endanger the surrounding villages ever again. Shunned and pushed away, the red haired boy learned to stand up for himself through fear and threats. He found that life was easier giving into Shukaku's voice every so often. Walking through the gates of Konoha, he surveyed the city. He knew this place.

Kankuro was watching him. Glaring, Gaara looked up at his older brother. "What?"

"Nothing," Kankuro said, shaking his head. He thought Gaara's expression had changed as they entered the city, but it must have been his imagination.

"We have to register," their sister stated as they neared the market area. "I'll ask around and see if I can find out where we go."

Gaara watched her leave and said, "We should stay here." Climbing up into a tree, he hid amongst the leaves as Kankuro leaned against the tree. Climbing as far as the branches would let him, Gaara peered through the leaves at the village bellow. There seemed to be various districts in Konoha, or at least after a time the roofs of the buildings changed. He could see a mountain with four faces carved on it. His eyes scanned the village when he heard a disturbance bellow. Turning his eyes downward he watched a group of boys running towards Kankuro, a girl about his age chasing them, screaming about something. Looking back out at the village, Gaara decided to ignore them until he felt someone join him in the tree.

The boy had dark hair and was watching the group intently. Gaara watched as the boy readied a rock and threw it directly at Kankuro, who didn't even notice until the rock hit him. Gaara narrowed his eyes. He had to make an appearance now to make sure Kankuro didn't let anything so stupid happen again.

He was standing upside down, looking down at the group. There were several small children, Kankuro, the girl, and a very loud blonde boy about his age. Gaara's attention stayed on the dark haired boy, however. He was the most impressive of the group by far. He glanced at Kankuro as he dismounted from the tree. He could tell by the way his brother was shaking that his death threat had been taken seriously enough that they would avoid any more stupid mistakes and embarrassing situations.

Before they left, he turned to the dark haired boy. "What's your name?"

"Uzumaki Naruto!" the blonde exclaimed.

Gaara's eyes shifted to him. He resisted staring. There was something about the boy that seemed familiar, although the blonde's loud manner irritated the introverted boy. "Not you." Then he turned to the dark haired boy, waiting on an answer.

He watched the blonde's face sink as the dark haired boy replied, "Uchiha Sasuke."

Gaara studied him and then he turned away, signaling for Temari and Kankuro to follow him. Before they disappeared, he glanced over his shoulder at the blonde before turning away. "Where are we going?" His voice carried a commanding tone.

"This way," Temari pointed in a direction. "He said it wasn't far from here."

Naruto watched the three leave, remarking about what jerks they were. He watched the redhead the longest. He didn't know why, but it could have been the fact that no one in Konoha had hair like that, or perhaps the fact that the boy was definitely wearing makeup. Who else's dark circles around their eyes get that dark and that thick? It was too unnatural to be anything but makeup!

They had also said something about some sort of exam. He didn't know what was going on and he hated that. Saying goodbye to Sakura and Sasuke again, he managed to ditch Konohamaru and his friends as well. The sun was setting and his stomach rumbled. He was sure he had some semblance of food in his refrigerator in his tiny apartment, or at least, he hoped he did. Turning on the small light in his apartment, he opened his refrigerator and recoiled at the stench. He promised himself yesterday he would throw the old stuff out and get new groceries. He looked over at his frog coin purse with his allowance in it from the Hokage. He looked back at his refrigerator and then sighed, lifting the refrigerator up so he could dump out the contents into the large trash bin bellow his window and then he set it back in its place, grabbing up his coin purse to get groceries.

It was late and the marketplace was closing. Satori-san's cart was closed and that meant that Naruto had to go several blocks away to get something. He could easily go to Ichiraku Ramen Shop for supper, but he couldn't do that for breakfast and he needed milk at least if he wanted to become a strong ninja. Walking quickly, he took the shortcut to the ninja school. Just a block behind the school was a simple grocer who stayed open until nine at night in case someone missed Satori-san when the market was open. The grocer didn't have anything fancy, but did have the basics and instant ramen. It wasn't as good as Ichiraku-san's ramen, but it would do for supper.

He cut across several lawns and over several roofs until he slid down a tree and was in the school yard. He crossed the lawn in a diagonal fashion and then crossed a street, and entered the grocery store. Mikkaido-san instantly recognized him. As the boy grew, the portly grocer was warming up to him. He gave a rather forced and small smile as the boy passed, and now he knew that he didn't have to watch Naruto at every turn since he now understood that the boy would never steal from him.

Naruto grabbed some milk, instant ramen, canned miso soup, and pork buns. He came over to the counter and put his purchases on it, then produced the right amount of money for the food. Mikkaido-san thanked him for coming and Naruto left, the door dining behind him.

The summer breeze was picking up and it ruffled his blonde hair. Konoha's climate was mild and never got too cold or too hot. Most of the year it always seemed to be between jacket and t-shirt weather so most wore one or the other. As he cut across the school yard, he thought about taking one of the pork buns out to eat on the way when he slowed. There was someone standing by the swing. He approached cautiously. If those weird foreigners had been in Konoha that evening, anyone could be standing by that swing.

Gaara didn't sleep. He would rest for minutes at a time, but he never spent an entire night asleep somewhere. Where he came from, the nights were cold and the days were hot. Konoha was somewhere in-between that at temperatures his village rarely saw for extended periods of time. He was cold, but his training kept him from showing it. He had planned to stay in the area set aside for his team, but he couldn't stay in the confined space.

He knew he shouldn't wander the streets of Konoha. Shukaku would whisper every so often, but Gaara pushed her aside for now. He wasn't sure why he was here, but he was outside a school by a swing. He hadn't thought much about how to get here. He had been down by apartments and now was here. The sand stirred in his gourd and Shukaku whispered in his mind.

Gaara looked over his shoulder and saw that blonde boy, Uzumaki Naruto, watching him cautiously. His eyes narrowed. "What?"

Naruto straightened slightly. "Nothing."

They stared at each other, a few yards between them. Finally, Naruto asked, "What are you doing here?"

"That's none of your business," Gaara replied coolly.

"To hell it's not my business!" Naruto declared. "This is my village, my school, and my swing! It is my business!"

Gaara eyed him. He didn't owe this boy any answers at all. He could tell that Naruto wasn't going to back down though. Shukaku whispered, but Gaara restrained himself. He was in a foreign land and he was sure he would be able to fight Naruto eventually if he resisted the temptation to lash out now. "I just stopped here."

Naruto blinked at the answer. He had expected the boy to leave or do something rather than just glower. He tried to make himself seem taller or more important, although he sensed it wasn't too impressive from Gaara's standpoint. "Who are you anyway?"

"Gaara of the Sand."

Naruto blinked and then squinted his eyes. "What kind of name is that!"

Gaara glowered. He didn't know why he was bothering with Naruto at all. He should go back to where he was supposed to be, but he didn't want to go back simply because he was irritated at some loudmouthed jerk. He turned away. He had to leave before he did something his team would regret.

"Where are you going?"

Gaara stopped in mid-step. Naruto was never going to shut up. Looking over his shoulder, he said, "That's none of your business."

Naruto met his eyes and then before he could protest, the monster of the Sand disappeared into the night. Naruto watched the spot Gaara had disappeared off to and then looked at the swing. He felt like he was missing something here, but it was probably just him.

Gaara went just a bit away so that he was obscured by the leaves of a tree. He could see the annoying blonde from where he perched, but Naruto couldn't see him. He watched Naruto leave and then he eyed the swing before leaving the cloak of leaves to return to where he was staying. He decided never to return to that place again.

The End