Diamond in the Sand

Realization

"What?" Gaara asked. Trying to figure out why his yellow-haired friend, was unresponsive flatly staring at him.
"Huh? Oh...nothing, I was just thinking that I'm finally taller than you" Naruto answered. It was true for most of their childhoods the sand ninja remained the taller of the two; however, years of insomnia stunted his growth and would render him 5'8 for the rest of his life. The continuous use of his sand armor and no need to engage in direct fights due to his sand prevented any proper muscle development leaving him with a slim body. Of course, Gaara had noticed the rapid growth of his counterpart, the large stocky figure built of muscle as he had seen the other day. He did not know whether his large stature was the result of genes or the leaf-ninja's large appetite. Most likely the latter. 

"Height doesn't determine a shinobi's ability", Gaara answered, hinting at his height complex. Naruto was never too slow on good information to tease his friends. Adding to this was perhaps wanting to see Gaara in anything other than his usual blank face. His previous attempts, whether it had been redecorating his entire office in a bubbly pink, or spreading out devious photos of women in his office where a meeting would take place, ended in failure and him flying halfway across Suna. 

"But it sure does help, well, not that you would know", Naruto smugly answered wiping his nose to add to the I'm-the-greatest-shinobi-of-all-four-lands look.

"I won't fall for your tricks Naruto", Gaara said making his friend pout, being found out so early in the game.

"AGH! Gaara you're no fun!" Naruto whined and sat down to show his displeasure, which Gaara also followed sitting next to his fool-of-a-friend.

"Maybe, I am no fun but you still call me a friend", Gaara countered his point. Taken aback and worried he might have hurt Gaara's feelings he quickly responded with:

"Well, that's because you're an important person to me, someone I want to protect". This was something he would have said to any other of his friends; however, it felt different when the receiver was Gaara. 

Gaara Pov: 

When Naruto finished his sentence, my mind completely went fuzzy, it seemed that my ears were ringing deafeningly loud, but obviously not real. I tried to make out what he had meant by this,... my whole life, I wanted to feel needed by other people and cared for. Naruto being the first instance of this in my life back when we were only 12. It seemed like he was the ray of hope, I desperately searched for. Once enemies in the past, but now he was the closest person I held in my heart, which I vowed to protect with my life and to hear in return the same from the person was like a miracle. I looked down trying to avoid eye contact, my red bangs covering my face, hiding the warm liquid filling my eyes. 

"Thank You", I whispered half-hoping he would not hear and before, my tears threatened to fall and go noticed I stood up heading downstairs knowing that my watch shift had long been over. Yet, I felt an all too familiar hand grab me pulling me back into a back hug. And I froze.

Third Person Pov:

Naruto felt the urge to touch him, and when Gaara had suddenly stood up preparing to leave, the crazy feeling overtook him. Before he realized what he had done, both his arms draped over his friend. At that moment he knew he was far too deep to apologize and instead tightened his embrace feeling the stiff shoulders beneath him, hoping that it was Gaara's way to show him how unaccustomed he was to physical touch instead of the possible disgust Gaara might have felt. 

"I'll protect you" he repeated, "I'll stay by your side so don't ever leave", Naruto pleaded, trying to not scare Gaara anymore than he probably already did.

All he heard in response to this was the cold tone asking to let him go.

"I'm tired Naruto, I want to go sleep", Gaara attempted to release himself; however, when he couldn't he called for the sand's help which forced his friend's arm off letting him escape downstairs, without looking back. 

Naruto Pov:

I groaned. Great, I thought, I've really fucked up now. I grabbed my hair and ruffled it out with anger. I'm not much of a thinker, instead, I do whatever my impulses tell me to and now I was suffering the consequences. So instead of trying to explain this to Gaara, I decided to let my actions get the better of me. 

Time Skip~ The next morning :)

Morning came around rather quickly for the two shinobi which had awoken by Sai, having ended his shift. As they were gathering their materials they were careful and overly aware of each other. 

Time Skip~

But, everything seemed to ease out as they reached their second checkpoint, and Naruto went back to his usual talkative self. While Gaara remained indifferent which was his own normal. So it seemed the night's events were forgotten, stored away in fear of what they might realize. 

However, there was an unsettling feeling Gaara had in the pit of his stomach something did not feel right. Something bad was going to happen and he could do nothing but wait and see...

Time Skip~

Soon enough he found himself and the leaf Ninja heading towards the last checkpoint until they reached Konoha...

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Find out in the next episode of dragon ball z...

hahah...jk....but what do you guys think the "storm" is? Oh, man will, it get juicy from here....prepare yourselves a cup because I'm about to pour you guys some sweet juicy tea. 

On another note yes I did use a lot of time skips, but you know what, fuck off, I wasn't about to write paragraphs of Gaara and Naruto just being awkward towards each other. My plot has to progress. 

ok ok enough rambling next chapter will be, much shorter...

proxi...out