Before You Begin: Nursery Rhymes is a collection of drabbles and/or one-shots varying in length and genre, completely unrelated to each other. Each 'chapter' defines a childhood saying that corresponds with a certain character or characters. This is my side project and will be updated when I feel like it, bar nothing. Take note that begging me to 'continue' is futile, since this is a collection of individual stories rather than a continuous plot. Still, I appreciate any and all reviews. In addition, if you wish to request a certain rhyme, simply say so as well as the character that you feel is best described by the rhyme.
Oh, and be warned, though the primary genre will be forever set as 'General', the secondary genre and character(s) will be set to the genre and character(s) in the most recent drabble/one-shot, so I wouldn't look for this under a character search.
Thanks for reading! -M.
Chapter Title: Glue
Central Character(s): Gaara
Chapter Summary: Before his descent into blood-driven insanity, he lived his life by that silly rhyme about rubber and glue.
Genre: Angst
Word Count: 300 (not including rhyme)
Rating: K+ for dark-ish themes
I'm rubber, and you're glue.
Whatever you say bounces off of me
And sticks to you.
He first heard the stupid little playground retort from his brother, after being called an idiot by Temari for somehow accidentally burning her fans in the toaster. The blonde girl subsequently accused Kankurou of stupidity to which Gaara silently agreed, though the whimsical children's rhyme remained in his head.
Perhaps, he thought then, he should try being rubber.
The years followed with whispered words and subtly turned backs—Gaara knew all were directed at him, yet he endured these with the resilience of an elastic band, forever returning to its original shape despite countless hours of stretching and pulling. In the years after, Gaara was rubber.
The rumors, the terror, the hatred—all bounced off his newly acquired, impenetrable exterior, and in his juvenile mindset, all of it stuck to the glue, those who unjustly despised and simultaneously feared him for who he was not. He was not the One-Tail, and the One-Tail, in turn, was not him.
Despite all his efforts and resilience in proving to those disbelievers that he, the Jinchuuriki of Shukaku, was not a monster, his rubber broke down, eroded until nothing was left but a slimy, sticky mass of glue. With his uncle's betrayal, his rubber dissolved, and soon everything—from the assassination attempts to the continuing hatred to the fear emanating from his own siblings—remained with Gaara, a sardonic reminder of the treachery of his one trusted person.
The debris built up indefinitely, shrouding him in loathing for everything and everybody, yet not manifesting until he was so engulfed by it that nothing could be seen past his rage and bloodlust. Suddenly, he discovered a newfound satisfaction showering himself with the blood of another, confirming the fears of the Sand Village.
Perhaps, he mused at the time, being glue was not so bad.