Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, do you really think I would I be here?

A/N: Don't kill me! I'm SORRY!! I'll try to update faster in the future. I haven't done anything for months. Sorry people… On a different note, the more reviews I get the faster I review! So, go review after you read. On yet another note, this story is definitely going to be a trilogy! T.T I'm so happy!! My friend is planning on drawing Sayaka, as she gets older. -sobs- She might even put it on DeviantArt. SHE'S THE BESTEST FRIEND EVER!!

Special Thanks: Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers who probably hate me now because of my laziness.

LadyAmazon

Wateranddarkness666

Lozzieh

Siean Horoc

Chapter Six – Embarrassing Friendship

"I. Am. So. Freaking. Bored!"

Two of the three Getsu genin were lying on their hotel's roof. Their sensei was gone once again, presumably at another meeting.

"Kyo, shut up."

"Make me."

Sayaka sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was only ten o'clock at night and that was much to early for her to sleep. Tenshi had already gone to sleep, leaving Sayaka with the incredibly annoying Kyo.

"Kyo?"

"Huh?"

"Shut up or I'll kick your butt of this roof. You know I can."

Silence.

Thank Heaven…

The beginning of the chuunin exams was tomorrow and everyone was on edge. Yutaka was gone more than ever, Tenshi was even quieter than usual, Kyo was being jerkier than before, and Sayaka was having more trouble sleeping.

How in the world did I manage to fall asleep when we first got here? The only thing different, besides my location, was…

Sayaka stopped the thought in its tracks. She didn't want to think about it. After the adrenaline of the two encounters with a certain mysterious redhead wore off, Sayaka realized that she needed to stay away from him. He was dangerous and unpredictable. Pride and adrenaline had made her say stupid things.

Still, he was pretty fascinating…

Sayaka sat up abruptly, startling Kyo into jumping to his feet and nearly falling off the roof.

"You idiot!" Sayaka said as she grabbed Kyo to keep him from falling.

"You're the one who startled me!"

Sayaka sighed, ignoring him and grabbed the edge of the roof. In one fluid movement, she jumped from the edge and swung herself into their hotel room window, landing silently in a crouch.

Kyo followed only slightly less gracefully. He gave Sayaka a quizzical look as he straightened up.

"What's wrong with you?"

Sayaka pursed her lips and stood up. "I can't sleep Kyo…"

Kyo frowned. "That's not unusual."

Sayaka glared at him but said nothing. Silence stretched out between the two young ninja.

"Well, you might not sleep, but some of us do. I'm hitting the hay. 'Night, Sayaka."

"Sleep well."

Kyo paused before his bedroom door. "Hey, you too."

Sayaka rolled her eyes as he closed the door behind him. Nothing let her fall asleep like a normal person. Not even sleeping pills.

Ugh, I need to train.

With the quiet efficiency of a panther, she leapt out the window once again.

I wonder if I'll see Gaara again.

--

Unbeknownst to the young kunoichi, a silent figure stood watching her in the shadows of the hotel. The figure stood perfectly still, almost like a statue.

The mysterious figure watched as Sayaka jumped gracefully from the window and onto the ground without a sound. They watched as she took off in the direction of the more populated area of Konoha.

A flash of aquamarine was scene before the figure vanished into the darkness

--

"This is… peaceful. Nice. This is relaxing. I'm not anxious. I'm not tired. I'm not bored. And most importantly, I am not waiting for Gaara!"

Sayaka's eyebrow twitched when her listener, a rather frightened looking cat, yowled and jumped of the trashcan it had been sitting on and ran down the alley.

"This is why I hate cats. Dogs are better. Dogs listen."

A passing couple stared at the young kunoichi as she continued to rant about the pros and cons of furry four-legged animals. It was already midnight and Sayaka still wasn't tired enough to brave sleeping.

Okay, let's think about this rationally. The chuunin exams start tomorrow and I'm waiting for a demon-possessed nutcase to come and almost kill me so I can fall asleep.

Sayaka stopped. It was insane and irrational. She was being stupid and she knew it. But still…

Okay, I'm an idiot. Now, let's go find us a crazed killer, shall we?

Switching directions completely, Sayaka quickly for an unpopulated area. After a few minutes, she wandered into Konoha's forest.

Well, although this is a great place for training I don't see my grim reaper…

Sayaka wandered around for a few minutes, grumbling about the timing of sand nin. She soon came across a large clearing with s small pond in it. The young kunoichi smiled inwardly; she loved places like this.

Maybe if I wait here for a while…

Sitting down on the ground, the Getsu nin picked up a handful of rocks and began skipping them across the pond. The gentle plip, plop of the rocks hitting the water's surface began the hypnotize Sayaka. After waiting a few more minutes, Sayaka grumbled and lay back on the grassy earth. She dumped the handful of rocks in her fist onto the dirt beside her head.

She stayed like that for thirty seconds before sitting up again in sheer boredom.

"Damnit, Gaara, where are you!?"

Right on cue, golden sand was suddenly wrapping itself around her waist. Sayaka, despite her previous composure around him, yelped in surprise and ended up falling in the pond when the sand let go.

She screamed in frustration, "Crap!!"

Gaara stood beside a tree, his ever-present glare still plastered over his face. Sayaka stopped her swearing a moment to glare back at him. Both shinobi stood like that for a few seconds, neither one blinking.

Suddenly, Sayaka burst out laughing. Gaara continued to glare at her even as she clambered out of the pond and onto the bank, still laughing. If anyone had been around, they surely would've woken up. Thankfully, the two young ninja stood deep enough inside the forest that nobody heard Sayaka.

As Sayaka stood up, her clothes dripping wet, she said, "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

Gaara's glare only increased as Sayaka began to form hand seals. Wind suddenly rushed into the clearing and began forming around the young kunoichi. The young Suna shinobi watched as the girl's hair and clothes began to dry.

"There, that's much better. As I was saying, you shouldn't sneak up on people. It scares them."

Gaara blinked. "How do you know I wasn't trying to scare you?"

Sayaka sat back down. "Good point."

Gaara remained standing where he was. Sayaka rested her head in her hand, her elbow sitting on her knee.

"Well? Aren't you going to sit down?"

"I'm going to kill you."

Sayaka blinked. "That's nice. Will you sit down before you do?"

Gaara's glare deepened. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Haven't we already been through this? I'm not afraid to die. I don't want to die, but I'm not afraid to do it."

"You're stupid."

"And you have no eyebrows," Sayaka patted the ground beside her, "Now that we've established this, will you sit down?"

Gaara, seeing no apparent threat, obliged. Sayaka sighed as he sat down beside her facing the pond.

"Have you ever tried smiling?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Silence.

Sayaka sighed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. In one swift movement, she turned herself to face the pond too.

"So, why are you always out here? Don't you ever sleep?"

"No."

Sayaka's head snapped in his direction. "What?"

"I don't sleep. Ever."

Sayaka paused. "Why not?"

"Have you ever seen a rampaging demon?"

"No."

"Do you want to?"

"Of course not."

"Then you don't want me to sleep."

Sayaka's mouth formed a silent 'oh'. Both young teenagers faced the pond in silence.

"Why aren't you asleep?"

Sayaka almost fell over again in surprise. "What?"

Gaara sent her a scowl that said he wouldn't repeat himself. Sayaka gulped, wondered why he was asking her, then took a deep breath.

"I, uh, have nightmares. It takes me a while to get to sleep."

Silence.

"Why do you ask…?"

Sayaka didn't expect him to actually answer. But, once again, the sand nin seemed full of surprises.

"What do you dream about?"

She shivered. "Blood and death and ashes and tears. A demon and a woman who loved too much. A way of life destroyed."

Gaara didn't answer her that time. Sayaka looked out over the pond. The surface of the calm water reflected the moon and stars.

"Which do you like better, the moon or the stars?"

The Suna shinobi paused at her odd question. "The moon…"

Sayaka nodded. "Me too."

The young kunoichi felt sleep tugging at her eyelids. She shook her head, desperate to stay awake.

"What is love?"

It was Sayaka's turn to blink. Gaara waited expectantly.

"Love is… Hm, that's a hard one."

"Why? Don't you love someone?"

"Of course. I love my brother and sensei and Kyo and Tenshi. Don't you love anybody?"

"No," he said without hesitating.

Sayaka sighed yet again. "I find that sad…"

"Why?"

"Life would be boring and sad without the people I love. I can't imagine what it would be like."

Gaara ignored that comment. "You didn't answer my previous question."

Sayaka shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because love's such a strong feeling? There are different kinds of love, you know. Love for your family, love for your friends, for your teammates, or even for your village.

"I guess love is a feeling of utter devotion. The want to protect someone no matter what happens. Wanting to always be by their side through thick or thin. Being ready to die for them, or live for them. I think love is selfless and beautiful. Most people don't understand that, I think…"

Gaara didn't respond. Once again, sleep made Sayaka's eyelids heavy. She rubbed her eyes, stifling a yawn as she did. Both young shinobi sat still for a long while.

Sayaka broke the silence. "Don't you have any friends?"

No hesitation. "No."

Sayaka knew she was falling asleep. She yawned and stretched, still watching the pond.

"Yes you do."

Gaara turned his head to face her. The young girl was nodding off even as she spoke. He turned to face the lake again.

"If you want… maybe we can be… Maybe we can be friends…"

The sand nin felt something heavy on his shoulder. He looked down and saw the top of Sayaka's silver head. His sand shifted around uneasily but otherwise remained at attention.

He frowned. She was much too relaxed in his presence. Too trusting and innocent. But, still…

Friends?

--

It's way too cold in here. And too bright. What the heck is Tenshi trying to do to me?

Sayaka shut her eyes tighter and moved her head against the only source of warmth she could find.

What happened last night…? I was in the clearing talking to Gaara, I think. Why don't I remember falling asleep?

Suddenly, Sayaka's eyes snapped open. Sitting bolt upright, she looked around wildly.

Trees, pond, grass. Where the hell am I!? Oh, that's right, in the clearing. No wonder it was so cold. Oh crap, Yutaka-sensei is going to fry my butt for staying out all night. Wait, wasn't something warm?

As Sayaka turned her head to the right, aquamarine clashed with midnight. Sayaka felt the heat rush up her neck and into her cheeks, not to mention the rest of her face.

Holy crap!! I fell asleep on him! You idiot, Sayaka! Stupid, stupid, stupid!! Apologize now!

"I, uh… Um… I'm, uh, really sorry about, um, falling asleep on you and… Yeah…"

Gaara just gave Sayaka a blank stare. The young kunoichi shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"How come you didn't kill me?"

Silence.

Suddenly, Sayaka remembered something important. She looked up at the sky in alarm.

Thank Heaven, it's still early. Probably around six or seven o'clock. Wow, I was asleep for almost six hours in a forest. That's new…

Sayaka stood quickly, bowing partly in thanks and partly to hide her blush.

"Thank you for letting me sleep. Um, I guess I'll see you later today. The chuunin exams are starting soon, I think."

Gaara gave no answer to her."

Sayaka shifted from one foot to the other. "Thanks again. See you later!"

With that, she raced off towards her hotel. Gaara watched her go, his expression still blank.

Friends… with that girl…

--

"Do you have any idea what time it is, you lady!?"

Sayaka's eyebrow twitched. "Cut the crap, Kyo."

Tenshi hugged her teammate. We were worried when you weren't here this morning. We thought something bad had happened to you."

Yutaka frowned at his student. "Where were you?"

Sayaka met his gaze evenly. "I fell asleep in the forest. Nothing to worry about, honestly."

Yutaka shook his head but otherwise let his student be. He knew something was up, but he decided to trust her.

"Well, go get ready."

Sayaka grinned as she ran off to take a shower and gather her weapons. Fifteen minutes later, she was out and ready.

Yutaka smiled. "You three ready?"

Kyo punched his fist into the air. "Hell yes!"

"Yes, Yutaka-sensei," Tenshi said, smiling.

Sayaka grinned fiercely. "Always."

Yutaka grinned and led his three students out into the hallway and out of the hotel. Things were about to get interesting.

As they walked out into the morning light, Sayaka couldn't help but smile brighter.

Friends… With Gaara…

--

A/N: Okay, Gaara was a little OOC here, but if you think about, he wouldn't be IC unless he actually killed Sayaka. We wouldn't want that, would we? :P

Lots of GaaSaya fluff here. Think of it as an apology for my late update. -bows- Please forgive me and review!

Sayaka: Review or die.

Me: Sayaka!!

Sayaka: What? You were thinking it too!

Me: Good point. Listen to Sayaka or Shukaku will eat you.