Year of the Fox

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. I make no profit.
If I owned them I wouldn’t need profit, the smut would be more than enough! *q*

Further notes: Chapter two! Wewt! I need at least eleven more! One for each month. O.O;; Root for me people! And please be patient! This IS a SasuNaru, you’ll just have to wait a bit for the good stuff. First, I try to create a decent mood for the story. (I'm saying this because my boyfriend wound up thinking it was a NaruGaa, and then a ShikaNaru -_-;; )
OH! And Yondy is NOT Naruto's father in this fic. I just couldn't do that to him. *squishes Yondaime*

Thanks for reading! ^__^

Gaara

Naruto dragged himself up the stairs.
After walking halfway through town in his soaked clothes, which had just dried after this morning, he’d turned into a popsicle. He was so cold he could barely feel his toes.
“I’ll kill Sai.” he muttered, cursing under his breath as he stepped through the door to his room.
He threw his bag on the bed closest to the window, the one that was his.
On the other, Gaara was reading a book.
The red-head looked up as he came in.
“They threw you in the fountain again?” he asked.
“What do you think?” Naruto snarled, throwing his wet sweater and shirt to the floor.
“I don’t see why you don’t just kill that idiot Sai already.”
“Gaara.” Naruto frowned. “All of us can’t walk around slaughtering people we don’t like.”
“Like you don’t want to.” Gaara turned his attention back to the book.
Naruto shook his head. “I’m having a shower.”
“Alright, I’ll be nice and warn you; everyone has showered today, so be quick or you’ll freeze to death.”
“I’m already halfway there.” the blonde said, tossing a towel over his shoulder as he left the room.

With the water streaming down his face and body, Naruto felt himself thaw and grow warm again. His feet prickled in a icy cold and painful way as the feeling came back in them.
He thought about what Iruka-sensei had said, about how he must be feeling lonely.
And he thought about Gaara, and how much worse he must be feeling.
Gaara was even more of an outcast than Naruto was.
Although, Gaara had family. He had two older siblings, who both cared about him. But the quiet red, he never showed any affection back.

The boy known as Sabaku no Gaara, given name just Sabaku Gaara, and Naruto had known each other for years.
Both of them were orphans.
They’d been sharing this room in the orphanage for about three years now.
When Naruto first came here, Gaara had been very quiet and reserved. He’d stayed near his two siblings, but hardly ever spoke to the two of them either.
At first, Naruto had thought he was just shy. But that was before he’d seen his eyes.
Even though he was so young back then, Naruto had understood that those eyes had seen too much. There was a twisted tint in those light green eyes that you don’t find in children’s eyes.

As they grew older, Gaara’s issues became more prominent.
He was known for his temper; even when he appeared totally calm he could suddenly explode. And when Gaara exploded, he was dangerous.
There was something in his brain that just snapped and sent him into such blind rage sometimes that he even scared the adults.
On the other hand, he was actually very sensitive, it was just that he had a hard time expressing it, and so when other kids started picking on him, his sadness gradually evolved into hatred.
In later years Naruto had learned that Gaara’s mother had passed away when she gave birth to him. His father had apparently never been able to forgive him for this; as if it was Gaara’s fault. He blamed his own child, and in the end tried to kill him. The deed was prevented, when a friend of the family walked in on them, but before the Child Protective Services had been able to do anything about the matter, Gaara’s father had committed suicide.
The three kids had been sent off to live with their uncle.
From what had been told, Gaara had loved this man. He’d always light up in a smile when he was nearby. And his uncle had seemingly loved all three of them, and treated them as his own kids. Until he too had turned on them, and no one knew why. All that was known was that ultimately he too had tried to take Gaara’s life. If it was because he blamed the death of his brother and his wife on the child, or if there was another reason, no one knew.
He hadn’t succeeded. Gaara had in a fit of rage over being betrayed, as well as in terror, defended himself, and ended up stabbing his uncle to death.
Even today Naruto didn’t know the details.
But after this Gaara and his siblings had been sent off to the orphanage, and Gaara’s personality gradually started to change.
When info on his past leaked out, and kids started calling him ‘monster’ his behavior changed for real. At the age of eleven he’d reached the point where he grew violent.
He was taken out of school multiple times. In the end they had him going to a child psychologist once a week. The teachers claimed he had ‘adaptation difficulties’ and suggested that it was better for him to be in a smaller class, with fewer kids.
That didn’t work out either. Gaara was quiet, enclosed and hostile.
He’d snap for anything.
Finally, at the age of twelve, he was taken out of school for good.

He still had home-schooling, being taught by Shizune, one of the women who worked at Naruto’s school as well as volunteered to help out at the orphanage.

Once, after Gaara had almost strangled a fellow classmate to death, Naruto had talked to him.
He had told him that he knew of his past, and understood why he was angry. In turn he had told Gaara of his own memories.
He remembered how Gaara had seemed to take these words to heart; his look had softened, he had asked questions.
Naruto remembered himself wondering why everyone was so scared of this boy.
He was just sad. Gaara was broken in the way that Naruto never would be.
Nothing could fix this void in the redhead it seemed, but Naruto did a fine job at keeping him calm. Gaara had taken a liking to him, even considered him as a friend.
During the day, when they were apart he would be his usual self. Most of the kids were still afraid of him, his reputation ran before him and even adults were cautious, but when Naruto was around he changed. At least he was calmer, and with Naruto he was friendly.
The two of them were the same, Gaara had realized that, and in a way clung to the one person he believed didn’t think of him as a monster. Not that he thought that his siblings felt that way, but he felt like there was a wall between them, like there was no way they could ever be close. Maybe it was because they were his blood and he was afraid they’d betray him as well?

Naruto didn’t know what was going on inside of his friend’s head.
Now, after both Kankuro and Temari had turned eighteen and left the orphanage, Gaara had become even more dependant on him. Not that he was weak, but it seemed like their friendship was the only thing that kept Gaara from going insane.
In a way, Naruto felt the same way. Though he never let himself crumble before the hateful glares, and never let anything get to him, it felt nice to come back home and be able to talk to someone who understood what it was like, and who saw past what he’d heard.
Naruto somewhat wished that Gaara had been in his class, or at least went to his school.
He coped well by himself, but he wouldn’t mind having a real friend around from time to time.
These days he worried slightly. Only months from now he would be eighteen and that meant he’d have to leave the orphanage, which had been his home for so many years now. Sure, he was sick of it, but the thought of leaving this place behind kinda scared him. And he was worried about his friend. Gaara was still just sixteen. The boy would have to stay for two more years. How would Naruto’s departure affect him?
He knew he was in no position to be worrying about others, but he couldn’t help it.

That made him think.
Hadn’t Gaara really been a sort of replacement?
Hadn’t there been…someone?
Before he came here. That other place. Where was that?
He turned around, leaning his head on the tiles. “Why am I remembering this now?” he asked himself.
For a brief moment he thought he saw a flash of a faint memory; of someone he’d depended on back then. He thought he saw black hair and dark eyes. But… Who was this other person?
He knew his name, he knew that years and years ago this person had been important to him. But the pieces wouldn’t fit. He couldn’t place them together.
There had been… someone in another time.
Who was this other person he remembered, that had disappeared and been overshadowed by Gaara?
Suddenly he noticed that he was freezing again. The water had gone cold.
He turned the faucet and stepped out of the shower.
The memory he just thought he’d seen in his mind was gone, like it had never been there in the first place.
“Did I fall asleep?” he wondered.


Walking down the street the next day he was still wondering, his mind trying to piece pieces together. It was like a huge part of his memory had fallen out. This was something he should remember.
It bothered him.
Usually when he walked like this he was able to ignore the stares and whispers. And today he was so deeply engulfed in his own thoughts that he barely checked if the light was green before crossing the street. And yet there was one conversation that though spoken quietly, might as well could have been screamed out as he walked by.
Two ladies were discretely pointing at him as he passed them.
“What exactly happened to him? Since he lives there?”
“Well, you heard about his father, didn’t you?!”
“Of course. But…. Doesn’t he have a mother?”
“No one has seen her for sixteen years. She disappeared. Can you blame her? Living with such a man? Under those conditions, is there really such a wonder she left them both behind?”
Those words, they were also from that time.
He remembered that he’d overheard someone say something like that. He could remember that he thought a lot about those things back then, when he was at that other place.
And he could remember a look that understood, even though he hadn’t said a word.
He remembered a white wall and a sinking sun, and pinky fingers that were twined together. But the one he was with… the face was blurred and yet he saw it clearly, the name lay on the tip of his tongue and yet he couldn’t remember.

Iruka was already waiting for him when he arrived at Ichiraku’s.
“Good morning.”
“It’s two pm.”
“And knowing you, you just got up.” the teacher smiled.
“Yeah… I did.” Naruto grinned. “And I’m hungry, so I hope you brought enough cash!”
“You’re ruining me.”
“You offered to treat me. You should know by now what that means.”

Gaara observed the life out on the street from his window.
He knew that Ichiraku’s was only a few blocks down the road.
As usual Naruto had been so cheery when he left. But he knew that the blonde was brooding something. He could see it. Gaara always noticed these things.
The reason had to be that he had studied Naruto for so long. It was strange to see someone who had experienced as much pain as he had, and still was so happy. Naruto would often seem not to have a care in the world. But it hadn’t always been like that. In the past he had used to fool himself into thinking that it was that way. Naruto had pretended like he was fine until he believed it himself. And after so many years of watching him conceal his true emotions, Gaara could always tell when Naruto wasn’t sincere. At times even before Naruto had even considered it himself.
Was this the case today? Or did Naruto actually wander around with something on his mind?
Gaara reckoned that if he did, he would tell his teacher.
That was another thing he found strange, and maybe even envied somewhat.
Naruto had suffered great loss and tragedy, he’d been betrayed and ridiculed. Why was it then that he could place all of his trust in this teacher? At times they almost seemed like father and son, and Gaara just couldn’t understand how Naruto could allow himself to act this way and show these feelings. What if he was scarred again?

He, like everyone else, knew about Naruto’s past.
It was something that always seemed to be the talk of the town: How the Uzumaki’s had been such a perfect couple, or seemed like it anyway.
Then, before they had their child, strange things had started to happen around town. Young girls were going missing. Dead bodies were found, and no one knew what had happened.
Panic had started to spread. Women stayed in at night, the police investigated twenty four/seven and yet, there were no clues, and the incidents kept happening. More girls disappeared.
In the middle of all of this, Naruto had been born.
And while everything should be bliss and happiness, Mrs.Uzumaki seemed to get thin and pale. She looked unhappy and as people spotted bruises and scars on her arms and legs, sometimes in her face, the rumors started flying.
Shortly after the news told that she had left. She had left everything behind. No one knew where she had gone. The most disturbing fact was that she’d left her son behind.
Naruto had lived with his father for four years.
During those four years killings and kidnappings happened with moderate intervals. The city was still living in fear for their daughters’ lives.

It was around the fall that year that the Uzumaki’s neighbors noticed that there had been no sight of Naruto for several days. At the same time, others had observed that Mr.Uzumaki was acting strange lately, and some had even heard weird sounds from their house.
He was a relatively young man, so at first they had assumed he had friends over, or played loud music or movies. Still, it was strange that he’d do things like that with a child in the house.
In the end one of the neighbors called the police to have them check up on things. She was worried about the two of them, especially Naruto.

It was then that the shocking truth was discovered: The Uzumaki’s house had deteriorated dramatically. Inside the wallpaper was hanging off the walls. There was garbage and mess everywhere. A pipe had sprung leak in the bathroom. Disturbingly, blood spatter was found on some of the walls.
When the investigators reached the basement, they found two girls, unconscious and tied up. Three were hidden in the freezer, dead.
The mystery had been cleared, and the person least suspected had turned out to be the criminal.
Mr.Uzumaki was found on the basement floor, in a puddle of blood. Apparently he was already dead from bloodloss. He’d hurt his head in a fall, caused by his drunken state.
The rest of the house was searched, and the local area. Several remains of beaten and raped girls were found.

The last place they searched was a hidden door in the basement. Once it was open the hot air streamed out from the enclosed space. It reeked of mildew and moist soil.
That was where they had found the child. Huddled in a corner in the darkness, shivering, cold, beaten, half starved and barely conscious, Naruto had been rescued, put in the hospital and later sent to the orphanage. Back then people had actually pitied him. But then, once the shock had somewhat passed, and they realized what had really happened. The name Uzumaki became a symbol of suffering and loss. Naruto was innocent, but in the rage and hatred that was a fact that was forgotten. Because he carried the name and the blood flowed in his veins, Naruto became a victim from the gossip and the freezing cold. It grew worse as the years passed, and peaked. This was how it was now; they ignored and mocked. The fact that he seemed unaffected only seemed to piss them off.
Because his father had died and never got to repent for his crimes, they seemed determined to make Naruto suffer, to spill his blood in his father’s place.

Gaara shuddered. Even if he knew all those details he knew that it was merely the sugar-coated version and that things had been a lot worse than that. In a way that was even worse than his own story. And still Naruto had turned out the way he was.
He wondered if it was the thoughts of this that spun around in Naruto’s mind lately.
He didn’t like being left out of his friend’s life. It was like what they shared was fading away, because they were so different now. As if it wasn’t bad enough that they already would have to part for real in only a few months.

“Gaara?”
He turned, looking at Shizune.
“Wouldn’t you like to come outside?”
He shook his head. “I’m fine.”
“Then, at least come downstairs. You have visitors.”
He sighed. Temari and Kankuro visited frequently. They were feeling guilty about leaving him behind, he knew that. Not half as bad as he felt for not acting the way he should towards them though. But there was just no way he could let his guard down to them, or anyone else.
Trust and loss were two things that seemed to go hand in hand, so he stayed away.
“Fine. I’ll be down in a minute.”
He’d been permitted to go with his siblings when they moved out. But after many discussions with Shizune, the president of the orphanage and that damn psychologist they still forced him to see, it had been decided that it was better if he moved out later, once his siblings were fully established and he had calmed down some more.
He didn’t mind. He was fine this way.
Even if he felt bad, at least he had the one person he could talk to around. For now anyway.


“You look thoughtful?”
“Hmm?” Naruto slurped up the last of his ramen. “Oh. Well…There’s something I’ve been thinking about lately….”
“What?” Iruka asked, frowning as the teen asked for seconds.
“Do you remember that first place they sent me to?”
Iruka’s look darkened.
“Yes.”
“I’ve thought about it, and…There’s so much I can’t remember from the time there.”
“Some things are better left forgotten.”
“Yeah, but… It’s not the place itself, or a certain incident. It’s a person.”
“Person?” the teacher tilted his head.
“Yeah. I vaguely remember someone there who was…kinda what Gaara is to me now. Like someone I felt like I couldn’t live without back then, because I was so dependant on him.”
“Really?”
Naruto nodded. “But…I can’t remember him. I can see his face, but it’s blurred. I can sense him somehow… but still. And I don’t seem to be able to remember his name either.”
“And this person was important to you?”
“Yeah. I think so. I mean, it feels like it.” Naruto’s blue eyes gazed questioningly at the young teacher. “But you don’t remember either?”
“No…I’m sorry Naruto.”
“That’s ok. I didn’t think you would. There were so many other things you had to deal with…Right?”
“Yeah, when I learned what kind of place they had put you in….I could hardly believe it! They beat the children!” his voice faded. “Children who had suffered enough already. They were rescued, and placed there so they would feel safe and loved, but instead…”
“Yeah. And that’s what I’m thinking too…You got me out of there before it got ugly. You managed to find me a home. But the others… So I suddenly started thinking about that place, and him. What do you think happened? Do you think he stayed?”
“I…don’t know Naruto.”
Iruka’s heart sank. He was the one who had found Naruto that day thirteen years ago. Ever since then he’d felt a special need to protect him from all harm. He had never been able to take Naruto in. First he had been too young, and then he didn’t want to tear up his roots. He seemed to thrive at the orphanage, even though it was crowded and cramped.
It was especially after discovering the dreadful conditions at the first orphanage the government had sent him to, which in many ways reminded him of a workhouse from an 1900’s novel.
The children were beaten and yelled at.
There wasn’t much stability and love, that was for sure. Shocked by his discovery he had spent every waking hour trying to find a way to have Naruto transferred.
After that he had always kept an eye out for him.
It was true like they said; he had fatherly feelings for the blonde teen. And so, he hated letting him down like this.
“I’m sure…” he started. “That there are ways to find out where he is now, but without even a name…It’s too hard.”
“I thought so.” Naruto sighed.
“Why did you remember this all of a sudden?” Iruka asked.
“I don’t know. But it just won’t leave me alone.” the teen replied.
“I will do my best to try and figure it out.” Iruka promised, knowing that the chances were slim. Very slim.

Temari and Kankuro were there when Naruto got back.
“Hey guys!” he beamed.
They smiled.
Gaara glared. “Why are you two still here?”
“Because,” his sister said. “You told us to ask Naruto.”
“Ask me what?” Naruto slouched in the worn couch.
Kankuro chuckled. “Why my brother has no eyebrows.”
“Oh, that…” Naruto grinned sheepishly, rubbing his neck.
“Well?” Temari leaned forward.
Gaara shot him a warning glare.
Naruto ignored him. “Ok…Don’t laugh. Or, laugh if you want to, but he’ll get mad…”
He leaned back. “I had this chemistry assignment, right? And I asked Gaara to help me…And somewhere along the way I must have used the wrong chemical. There was a little…erm…explosion, and it kinda fried Gaara’s eyebrows.”
Kankuro snickered and Temari burst out laughing.
Gaara snarled.
“He wasn’t happy, to put it that way.” Naruto continued. “So to cheer him up I offered him some love.”
“Is that why he has that kanji on his forehead?”
Naruto nodded proudly. “Love Naruto style.”
“In permanent marker.” Gaara muttered.
His siblings laughed harder.
The red head stood abruptly and left the room.
“Fucking idiots.” they heard him mutter as he went up the stairs.
“He’s in a good mood today.” Temari stated.
“Isn’t he? He’s been very calm lately.” Naruto agreed.
Gaara seemed angry just about constantly, but this was a good day. On a bad day, depending on his severe mood, even Naruto could think twice before approaching him. If Gaara threw a real tantrum, when his mind clicked, no one dared come close to him. But it was a long time since he last had one of those fits now.

The guests left, Naruto went upstairs.
Gaara was on the bed. His eyes were closed, but that meant nothing. Gaara could be sleeping when you thought he was wide awake, and the exact opposite.
Naruto swore that the boy could sleep with his eyes open.
“You mad?” he asked carefully.
“Nah.” Gaara mumbled,
So he was awake then.
Gaara sat up.
“What about you? Are you ok?”
“Yeah.”
“Really? You look troubled.”
“Nah, don’t worry. I’m remembering things again.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“No, I’m fine.” Naruto flashed him a grin.
Gaara shrugged. “Alright.”
“Wanna help me with something?”
Gaara looked suspicious.
“Don’t worry.” the blonde laughed. “It won’t involve acid, fires or explosions. I just need you to help me out with the project.”
“Fine.” Gaara agreed.

The last two weeks of January seemed to pass way too quickly. Shikamaru kept reminding him how little time they actually had to finish the project. About ten times an hour he’d state how ‘troublesome’ the whole thing was. And Naruto would remind him that he was the one who had wanted this topic to begin with. There was never a real reply.
The bright side on the other hand was, one; it was nice to be able to talk to someone at school without fighting. And two; Sai barely showed up. Projects would always mean that he ran off somewhere, ’working’. When he did show up though, he was nasty as always. Naruto answered him just as poisonous.
They’d spend any minute they found exchanging insults and glares. A few times it nearly turned into a full-fledged fistfight. Iruka’s tolerance-plan had definitely failed.

The work piled up. As soon as Naruto thought they were done, Shikamaru gave new orders.
Sai was doing sketches like mad it seemed. They never saw him draw anything, but every time he showed he’d present new sheets of paper, ready to be scanned into the final product.
On top of that, the other teachers were giving out homework like crazy as well. Orochimaru was now up to giving at least one quiz per week. Preferably two if he felt sadistic enough.
The whole class was in a frenzy, walking around like zombies.
Naruto was his usual self; grinning, joking and plain pissing people off even more.
Not only was he a freak, but he had to be the world’s happiest when they were all living dead.
Accuses and arguments filled the air every day, statements were made and overruled.
And no one, no one was able to bring him down, as usual.
Not until he fell asleep, and dreams of the past caught up with him.

Soon, the calendar showed February.
***TBC*

Please review, ne?

Replies/Comments:

DrakenD4: Thanks! Just keep your eyes up, and you'll get the fluff! ^__^
Momoiro_Usagi: You've never read an AU?! *shakes you* Go read 'The Top Floor' and 'Chasing Naruto' RIGHT NOW! xD Aaah~~~I luuuff you! Hopefully this chapter was to your liking too! ^__^ I know, poor Naru-chan *huggles* But atleast he's got Gaara, ne?
Thanks again hun!