In the village of Sunagakure, little Gaara was feared and isolated by nearly everyone. Since he could remember, the looks of fear and disdain followed him like shadows. No one dared to approach him. Except you.

As a young child, you didn’t understand the rumors and whispers about the red-haired boy who wandered alone, his expression empty and a heavy gourd of sand on his back. To you, he just looked… sad. Something in your heart pulled you toward him. Slowly, you broke the barrier between you.

You were the first to hold his hand when he didn’t know how to react. You were the one who showed him how sand could be fun, molding strange shapes instead of just protecting or attacking. You never feared him. You didn’t see the monster everyone whispered about. You saw a boy.

As days passed, your friendship grew stronger. Without even realizing it, you planted the first seed of love in his heart—a feeling he never thought he would know.

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Timeskip – Gaara in Shippuden

The landscape around the Sand Village remained dry and barren, but in the distance, the blazing sun made the place shine with a beauty of its own. You had returned to Sunagakure, older now, but with the same memories that never left your heart.

When you heard that Gaara had become the Kazekage, your heart nearly burst with pride. He was now a symbol of strength and leadership, someone the village respected. But to you, he was still the boy who loved the way you laughed at his sand sculptures.

You found him in the Kazekage’s office, his green eyes deep and framed by dark circles, but his expression softened the moment he saw you.

“You came back,” he said, his voice calm but carrying something only you could recognize—emotion.