Gaara opened his eyes groggily, wincing as he coughed sharply. Pain flared in his chest and his eyes shot open as he stumbled out of bed, leaning on his wall for support. He tried calling out, but his throat felt raw and scratchy, like he'd swallowed a handful of sand or something.
He only managed to get a faint wheezing sound past his lips, and he collapsed onto the floor in a fit of coughing.
Someone must have poisoned him while he slept. That could be the only reason he was feeling like this.
Stumbling to the bathroom, he tried to induce vomiting by jamming his fingers in the back of his throat over the sink, to try and flush some of the poison out, but all he succeeded in was making his stomach churn violently.
He collapsed beside the tub, his head falling back and his eyes closed. After a few moments they flew back open, as he struggled to his feet, determination crossing his face.
He had to at least get to Temari, and Kankuro, let them know that he cared for them, and that he... loved them. Taking a deep breath, Gaara got to his feet again, shakily heading for the stairs.
Pausing at the top, he panicked as the edges of his vision started growing black, and he forced himself to continue, ignoring the pain that was growing in his head.
"Temari!"
His older sister jumped as he hoarsely called out, and she rushed over to his side, helping him to the table as he swayed. "What's wrong Gaara?" She tried to put a hand to his forehead but he smacked it away.
"Kankuro, I need to see him." Gaara mumbled, shaking his head to try and clear it from the fog that was clouding his mind.
"Okay..." Temari sounded worried as she helped her younger brother into the front room, where Kankuro was watching the television.
"Gaara, are you oka-"
Kankuro was cut off by the auburn haired boy throwing his arms around him, hugging him tightly as if his life depended on it. Kankuro opened and closed his mouth a few times, his eyes darting back and forth from Temari to Gaara, who still had his arms wrapped around him.
"Gaara, what... are you doing?"
"I love you." Was the muffled reply, and Gaara pulled Temari into the hug as well, his voice muffled as he mumbled again "I love you."
Pulling back, Gaara held himself stiffly, his eyes closed tightly as if he was waiting for something to happen to him. A few minutes passed, and Gaara cracked one eye open, looking at himself, and then at his siblings.
"I-I'm not dead?"
"No... why would you be dead?" Kankuro asked cautiously, and Gaara doubled over, clutching his stomach. "Someone poisoned me, my head's hurting, my stomach hurts," he mumbled, and a small smile rested on Temari's lips.
"Gaara, no one poisoned you. You're just sick, it happens to the best of us."
"It'll pass soon!" Kankuro offered, and Gaara blinked rapidly as the black lurked on the edges of his vision. "Gaara, it's best if you try to sleep it off. Kankuro, use this" Temari tossed a pillow at her brother, "I'll get him a blanket."
"Uh, okay..."
Gesturing towards the couch with the pillow, Kankuro waited for Gaara to get on before he tucked the pillow underneath his head. His hand lingered above his younger brother's head, before he brushed the damp curls to the side in a maternal gesture.
Flash
"Isn't that adorable?"
Temari stood in the doorway of the living room, camera in hand as she grinned at Kankuro. "Temari! You better delete that picture." "Kankuro threatened, as Temari pulled a blanket over Gaara.
"Heck no. That's like my only picture of you two, and it's staying."
Kankuro narrowed his eyes, but before he could say anything Gaara lurched over the edge of the couch, gagging as he threw up onto the floor.
Kankuro and Temari both yelped as they leaped away, and Kankuro fled the room.
"I won't bother the photo, as long as YOU watch after him!" he shouted from upstairs, and Temari rolled her eyes. "Oh well. At least I have blackmail on him." She muttered, heading into the kitchen to grab a bucket, and some rags.
