Children of the Sand
By: A'den Neytiri Kad
Author's Note
I wrote this one-shot because of a picture I saw online of Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari as children. My friends encouraged me to write this, so this is for them. Plus, I couldn't help myself! Enjoy!
P.S. I do NOT own Naruto. If I did.. Well.. Let's just say things would be a lot different.
Another uneventful day in Suna had come to pass as the sun above descended. The daughter of the fourth Kazekage would have begged to differ.
She sighs, attempting to keep ahold of the squirming, red-headed toddler in her arms. "Gaara, stop wiggling." The toddler answers her by pulling on her hair. "Gaara..." The Kazekage's youngest son giggles, reaching up to pull on more of her hair. He tugs sharply, threatening to pull it out of the four ponytails atop her head. She mumbles under her breath, untwining her hair from her brother's hands. She searches the rooms around, peeking in quickly. "Kankuro, I need a little help here..." She continues through their house made of harden sand as she bounces her brother on her hip. Termari fumes as more time passes without any sign of her other brother. She barges down the hallway toward the last remaining room. She kicks open her door and stalks inside. "Kankuro, what are you- What is that all over your face?" She sets Gaara on her bed, watching him crawl as she kneels next to Kankuro. She uses part of her sleeve to start wiping the purple substance off his face.
Kankuro pushes her away, sticking his tongue out. "It's called make-up, Temari." He grabs the purple pencil and fixes the smears created by his sister's sleeve. "I want to look like those crazy people from the traveling theater we saw."
"Whatever. I need your help watching Gaara," she gestures toward the toddler chewing on her stuffed weasel.
He rolls his eyes, picking up one of his fallen puppets. Temari clambers onto her bed, pulling Gaara into her lap. Kankuro sits across from them, making his puppet dance over his little brother's head.
Gaara halts his massacre on the furry weasel, eyes wide. He laughs, dropping the tortured animal. He reaches up, touching the puppet's foot. He laughs shrilly, trying to get it. Kankuro moves it around him, making it dance with small clicks.
After several minutes, he stops. He bows to his audience before the puppet behind him.. Gaara claps his small hands, smiling and laughing. Temari smiles, nodding her head in gratitude at her brother.
Kankuro smiles and opens his arms, letting his brother climb into his lap. "Your turn, Temari."
She rolls her eyes and reaches into her nightstand. She pulls out two twin fans, watching as Gaara plays with his older brother's hair. She smiles, standing in front of them. She closes her eyes, starting the long practiced routine from her training. She uses the fans as extensions of her arms, twirling quickly.
Gaara watches transfixed as his sister kicks and spins about the room. He smiles wide when she throws one of them, slinging it above their heads. It circles quickly, returning to her hand in a matter of seconds. She bows, taking a deep breath. He laughs, clapping and slapping his brother's hands away. He stands up, waddling to the edge of the bed.
Temari smiles and picks him up. She hugs him close as Kankuro gets up beside her. He ruffles Gaara's brick red hair, smiling.
"Guess we'll have to wait and see what you can do, huh Gaara?"
Gaara grins toothlessly as he starts chewing on his fingers.