Work Text:
They’re staring again.
Gaara minds when they stare. He minds it so much. They make the stares so hard to ignore.
Gaara was getting sick and tired of being stared at. It was as if he was on display at a zoo, for all the snot nosed brats and tired parents to dissect as he went about and did his business. He wasn’t sure why everyone stared. Was it his blood red hair? Was it the black rings around his eyes? Was it the tattoo on his forehead that peaked out whenever he looked left or right? Perhaps it was the fact that he had no eyebrows? Was it the clothes? No it wouldn’t be the clothes. Temari picked them out so he could “fit in with the other kids.” As she liked to say. It wasn’t the clothes. She wouldn’t lead him astray like that.
So why were they staring? Gaara is very tempted to ask. He doesn’t. The thought of speaking to anyone for any reason was enough to send him spiraling into a panic attack. He didn’t need that. Instead he does what he always does. He puts his head down, eyes on his shoes and walks pass.
They flinch. Why do they flinch? Did the rumors follow him from Suna? Gaara hopes not, but what other reason do they stare.
Now they whisper to each other. They think he can’t hear what they’re saying but he does. Gaara doesn’t want to listen in but he’s curious and it’s not like it’s really his fault. They’re standing a few feet away from his cubicle. He couldn’t not listen in even if he wanted to.
“Why did they hire him? He doesn’t fit the image of the company at all.” A pink haired girl, Sakura, he supplies to himself, says popping her gum.
She’s not wrong, gaara thinks. The image of the Uchiha company is too look like models. Apparently looking good only applies to the outside.
“Oh my god I know! Look at him. Who dressed him? His mom? God he needs to just just throw all of his clothes away. Why does he carry that many pens in his pocket? What does he even need them for?” A long blond hair girl, Ino, giggles like a child.
Gaara does his best not to wince at the mention of his mother. The ache in his chest grows at the mere mention of her. He doesn’t run where his heart lays, but he wants to.
“Probably to stab someone with. You heard what happened at his last job. How he stabbed one of his coworkers for no reason at all. Like the dudes a monster.” A bright red-haired girl, Karin, mumbles.
Gaara sighs with that one. He didn’t stab the guy for no reason. He stabbed the guy because he wouldn’t stop grabbing his butt and making lewd comments when no one was around. He tried to tell him to stop, he went to Human Resources four separate times, and moved departments to avoid the man. Nothing worked. Stabbing was a last resort. One he does not regret at all.
“Never mind that, how are you guys not talking about the makeup he’s wearing! What are we in middle school? It’s like he’s trying to be goth without saying he’s trying to be goth. And that tattoo on his head? Love? Did he not get enough at home? You think that’s why he doesn’t talk? …” a girl with two buns in her hair, says absentmindedly while scrolling through her phone.
“I’m not sure guys. Maybe he’s just shy? He’s only been here a few weeks, he’s probably still learning the ins and outs of everything and everyone?” The last girl, Hinata, whispers.
The rest just laugh as they finally walk away. “Don’t be stupid Hinata. A freak like that? He’s not shy. Probably thinks he’s just better than everyone else and doesn’t deem them worthy of knowing.” Someone says. Gaaras not sure as they’re further down the hall now.
Gaara hates that he knows the names of these girls. Hates that their words affect him so much. Hates how he feels a sharp pain in both eyes as he tries not to cry. He really hates them. Well not all of them. Hinata doesn’t seem so bad. Shy like him. Maybe in another universe they’d be best friends. Gaara wants to get up and defend himself, wants to get up and tell these girls off… Gaara really wants to cry. He doesn’t do anything. Instead, Gaara boots up his computer and gets back to work. The sooner it’s done the sooner he gets to go home.
The day goes by slowly. Even more so than usual. Gaara is in pain. He’s been on the cusp of falling apart for the last hour. It takes everything within him to not just break down into tears. The words shouldn’t bother him, Gaara has heard worse but this time was supposed to be different. Supposed to be a fresh start. Kankuro had said that coming to Konoha would be good for all of them. A new job, a new house, a new life. Nothing holding them down like it did in Suna.
Kankuro was wrong. It was the same, shit different city.
Gaara wants to go home.
A quick glance at the clock tells him it’s break time. He still has five hours of work left. With a sigh, Gaara saves his work three times, once on the computer, another on his flash drive, and the last time on another flash drive. He's been there, some thay and learned that people can be cruel.
Gaara stands up with a small stretch and glances around. His shoulders droop as he notices he’s one of the last ones to go to lunch. That means a lot of people will be in the break room, having their lunches and socializing. He contemplates not going to lunch that day, but his stomach growls. He didn’t eat breakfast so skipping lunch is not an option lest he make himself more miserable.
With a groan he grabs his lunch pack from under his desk, silently cursing the ‘only allowed to eat in the break room’ rule. Gaara hears everyone before he turns the corner. He rolls his neck while giving himself a pep talk.
“You can do this. Find a spot at an empty table, don’t make eye contact, don’t bump into anyone, sit down, eat, get up, go back to work. You can do this. It’s just like high school and you survive that. You can survive this too.” He nods to himself. “You can do this.”
Why did it go quiet when he walked in?
Why does everyone stare at him?
Why is he such a freak of nature that scares everyone away?
Gaara scans the room quickly and sees a spot in the back near the trash bins. He quickly walks over to it and faces the room but keeps his head down. With practice ease, gaara pulls out his simple lunch of rice, broccoli and chicken. Normally he’d heat it up in a microwave but that’s across the way. Not worth the risk.
Gaara feels his body shake but refuses to let his hands do the same. These people smell fear. He won’t give them the satisfaction.
Slowly but surely the quiet room goes back to the noise level it was before. Well not exactly. A lot of people are still staring and/or peeking at him, it’s easy to ignore. What’s not easy to ignore is someone slamming their hands on a table and loudly proclaiming “I’m gonna do it!”
The sound causes gaara to drop a piece of chicken on his tie, which slides down into his lap, staining the material with juices. A furious, embarrassing blush runs across Gaara’s face. Gaara drops the bowl and fork down, rushing to frantically rub the stain hoping it won’t be permanent. He’s so focused on it that he misses Sakura March up to the table. Gaara doesn’t realize she’s standing right in front of him until she slams her hands down on his table. When he looks up, she’s glaring at him harshly.
It’s as if he’s a new specimen she’s observing under the microscope. It’s the same look his father would give him, after a night of drinking and Rasa didn’t or maybe couldn’t recognize his youngest son. It’s a stare Gaara doesn’t want directed at him. Gaara stares back awkwardly. He looks at her forehead rather than in the eyes. Never make eye contact lest you want a problem. He doesn’t want a problem. He stays silent. She came to him. She will have to speak first.
Everyone is staring again.
What does she want?
“How the hell did you get this job? We all want to know just how a freak like you, procured such a job. You don’t fit the mold. Like at all. No offense but you dress terribly, your hair is a disaster, you haven’t made one friend…. Can you even speak? Not to mention, pretty sure we do background checks. Didn’t yours come up with a felony, something about attempted murder? There’s no logical or legal way you could have gotten this job. What was it? Did you suck the big boss man’s dick?”
More than a few people laugh. Some gasp. The rest stay quiet. Everyone stares. Sakura has one hand on the table, the other on her hips as she leans to close into Gaara’s space. He looks around for some sort of help. Eyes screaming for someone, anyone to get her off his case.
No one comes. Everyone stares back.
Gaara’s breathing heavily. His chest heaving in panic. He knows it’s a small matter of time before the water works come. How is he supposed to respond to any of that without coming across like a bad guy? How is he supposed to defend himself from these vultures? The answer… he can’t. No matter what he says, no matter what he does, Gaara will always be a freak in their eyes.
Gaara sniffles. Tears incoming. This is officially the worst day ever. Gaara can’t tell if it’s always been this hot in the room or if it’s him. Either way he resists taking his jacket off.
“I can assure you, he did not suck mine or anyone in upper management's dick to get the job, Ms. Haruno. Mr. Sabaku got the job because he had an eye for detail and had an exemplary resume. Not that it’s any of your business of course. As to why he doesn’t have a friend? Well I highly doubt you and your little group have made it easy since it seems you were alienating him in the first place.” A voice comes from the doorway.
Everyone jumps and whips around.
The one who spoke in Gaara’s defense was the big boss, Itachi Uchiha. The man who started the company after branching off from his father’s company. Behind him stood his little brother, Sasuke Uchiha, Business partner Neji Hyuuga, and Hinata, who was red in the face with…anger? Perhaps that was just hopeful thinking on Gaara’s part. Mr. Hyuuga is staring at him.
Why is Mr. Hyuuga staring at him?
Why doesn’t Gaara mind his stare? It doesn’t feel bad like when the others stare.
Gaara stares back. Gaara makes eye contact for the first time in years but only for a few seconds. It feels way too intimate. Plus he doesn’t want to start a problem.
So lost in his thoughts Gaara missed whatever Mr. Uchiha said. Whatever it was had Sakura, Ino, Tenten, and Karin in tears and everyone else pale in the face. “You four are hereby fired and banned from any and all Uchiha properties. You will gather your things and get out immediately. Any attempts to linger about and the cops will be called for trespassing. Any attempts to retaliate against any employee will result in a lawsuit you have zero hopes of winning. Do I make myself clear?” When no answer is forthcoming the eldest Uchiha raises one eyebrow that have the girls rush to get out “yes sir.”
“Good. Go collect your things and get out. I’ll have security escort you.”
With that three large men come in and surround the four ladies. Kisame, Kakuzu, and Zetsu Gaara thinks as the men lead the girls away.
“As for the rest of you, I will be touching base and reviewing your interactions with each other to see if you need to be let go as well. We have a zero tolerance policy in place for a reason. If you can’t follow that, you don’t have a place in this company. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some things to attend to.” With that he looks at Gaara and gives a small smile along with a head nod, and takes his leave. The younger brother and Hinata do the same. Neji Hyuuga is already gone.
No one is staring at him anymore. Instead they are all staring into their food, in shame, in anger, in embarrassment? Gaara’s not sure. Serves them right. His siblings will get a kick out of this one.
Gaara goes back to vigorously rubbing at his clothes. They’re already ruined but he tries anyway. He’s no longer hungry and he’s terrified to get up and go back to work with so many people still in the room.
“I think that’s just making it worse.” A voice pipes up suddenly beside him. Gaara jumps and throws his head back to stare at the person who snuck up behind him. Neji Hyuuga. The man takes a step back and puts his hands up as if to see he’s not a threat. “I apologize. I did not mean to startle you.” The other says quietly.
“I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Those girls were bullies and while we knew it, we could never catch them in the act to do so until now when my baby cousin came in ranting about them and their plan to attack you during lunch. We came a bit too late which I’m also sorry you had to deal with it but they won’t be coming back and if they or anyone else attempts anything with you, we want you to come tell us immediately. The secraties know to let you in any of our offices should you come up.” He says, his voice is still barely above a whisper.
It takes Gaara a moment to comprehend everything. When he does he bursts out into silent tears. Gaara thinks the Hyuuga looks panicked as the sudden display of emotions but he can’t be sure with tears clouding his vision. Gaara puts his head down on the table hoping to hide the sad display. A soft touch on his arm makes him look up. The Hyuuga is smiling down at him. “Everything’s gonna be ok now. Why don’t you come with me? You can finish lunch up in my private office and we can just talk for a bit until you’re ready to come back down and finish work. Or if you prefer you can just call it a day and go home. You’ll still be compensated for the full day of course. Whatever you want, I can’t imagine your last few weeks have been easy.”
Gaara wipes his face roughly with his sleeve as he thinks. Trying and failing to clean up the mess, the tears still fall which is ruining any attempts he makes. “You shouldn’t do that. You’ll just irritate your skin. May I?” The Hyuuga holds up a napkin and waits. In for a penny in for a pound, Gaara nods slowly. Another smile. Gaara likes Neji’s smile. Makes him look softer in a way.
The man comes closer and gently grabs hold of Gaara’s face under the chin. He pats it gently with the napkin causing a lot less pain (no pain) unlike what Gaara was doing to himself.
“I think I would like to eat lunch with you. It would be … nice not to eat alone or go home and be alone. My siblings are still at work.” Gaara whispers, his voice somewhat gruff from not speaking. He hasn’t spoken to anyone inside the building since his interview. It was weird. Nice but weird.
“Ok let’s pack up your meal and we’ll go. We can invite Itachi, Sasuke, and Hinata too if you want?” Neji stares at Gaara as if he’s the only one in the universe.
Gaara thinks about it before shaking his head. He kind of likes being the center of Neji’s focus right now. If the others are there he’ll have to share. “No… I… I’d rather not have to face them in my current state. If… if that’s all right Mr. Hyuuga.” Gaara looks down as much as he can with the hand still on his face.
“Sure. Whatever you want Mr. Sabaku.” Another smile.
They’re staring again. This time it’s easy for Gaara to ignore them.