Food fit for a KING

"Name?"

"Kimi" I answered lightly, keeping myself from saying too much. I had a habit of saying the wrong thing, but this time would be different. I would keep my tongue in line. You can do this, just don't say more than you have to. Kimi just zip the lip and you'll be okay.

"More like Dum-eee" The one with all the face make-up sneered. A shiver went down my back as I clenched my teeth so hard they gritted and made that horrible scrapping noise in my mouth. How I wanted to punch him in the face, smack him hard across the jaw and see what he said then.

"What cooking experience do you have?" The blond asked, bluntly ignoring her brother beside her.

"I cook for my own family every night, and I used to work breakfast and lunch at the Foreign Affairs restaurant." I explained. Now I needed to keep my mouth shut, or else my words about that place would definitely get me from making the job here. This was my last hope. It was this or… or… No! It had to be this! Besides, cursing out that place wouldn't get me anywhere. It wasn't a big part of my life, just an irritating chapter that was now being ripped out and burned, then crushed, then burned again.

"used to? How did it end?" Kankuro snipped.

"Badly" I snipped back.

"Oh really?" Kankuro edged, watching me go completely on edge. Don't say it! Don't say it Kimi, you'll never get the job if you do. I was about to just scream, explode on them all when the quiet one spoke up. If it hadn't been for him I'd probably have offended the two actually talking. I would have kissed him, just tackled him and hugged him for saving me, but the way he continually stared at me like I was some disease that crawled the earth, like he looked at everyone, it might be possible that if I did anything like that he'd kill me. And by the rumors of him, I wouldn't doubt it either.

"You two know she's got the credentials, and she's the only one… besides, none of us want Mother Damchi cooking for us anymore" I knew who this one was. That was Gaara. I perked up and looked at him in the eyes, trying to express all the thank you's he deserved.

"He's right, Temari" Kankuro whispered under his breath.

"You get the job. Go down to the kitchen and Mother Damchi will inform you of your duties… you start an hour before dinner." I broke out into a full out smile and jumped to my feel.

"Thank you!" I bowed before grabbing my things. If I hadn't been so happy that I got the job I would have told myself keep cool and look professional. But I practically bolted from the room to find this Mother Damchi woman and get ready for work. Things would be fine, everything would be fine. My youngest brother could keep going to school, the others continue with their lives without worry, and father… Father could get his medication again.

XX

"Gaara, why did you defend her?" Kankuro hissed at me, watching me get up from my chair. I pulled my gourd on lightly and headed for the door. I didn't have to defend myself for anything I said, and they knew why I urged for her to be hired. Mother Damchi was over due for retirement, her cooking was crude and disgusting, and we needed better food. So father entrusted us with one simple mission, find a new chef. Honestly, we were expecting, with the great pay and huge work-space, great benefits, hundreds of people would try. But no one did and I knew why. They were all afraid of the monster, the demon with red hair. Me….

"Gaara…" I stopped at the door. Temari acted like she went to say something to me but with the stare I gave her, she backed down and changed her thought. "Dinner will be soon, will you be joining us"

"No… have someone bring it to my door" I spoke and marched from the room. Like they even wanted me at dinner. I never did anyway, unless at father's demand or Baki had a new mission for us. But with this new girl, maybe I'd actually eat the food. The last few meals with Mother Damchi had me throwing up the first batch and until we got a new chef I ate out. Finally that old bat would be out of this hell house hold.

I stalked into my bedroom and shut the door behind me walking to my bed and laying down. It was rather an ironic thing. I had the largest bed of the siblings, and I didn't need it. I never slept, which cut down on my patience I guess but laying on this bed gave me some relief from the throbbing in my skull and chest.

I had closed my eyes, but sleep never came. I just let my body rest as I let memories flood my mind. Images of Yashamaru, father, my victims… they all came to mind and they all passed slowly, making my chest pang and throb then slowly stop.

Only I had not noticed hours had gone by until there was a knock on my door, then it opened. I was Dumbstruck, was this girl truly ignorant as I guessed. She had to be a moron!

XX

"Now, put your hair up and take master Gaara his food. And make sure he eats it," Mother Damchi spoke. I nodded and pulled my hair up quickly. I knew if I didn't meet their demands that I would loose my job. I needed this. So I went and set up the food to go on trays for the family before taking Gaara's plate and left the kitchen. I didn't stick around the hear the conversation from the waiters and the old chef.

"Why did you do that, you know he hates anyone going in his room. You're going to get her killed" one of the trey holders whispered.

"Better her than me… and besides, these bastards are firing me, I'm going to show them exactly how I feel about them replacing me… no one can feed this family like me. I've been doing it for 90 years! How come she just up and gets it, she's nothing but a scrawny teenager!" Mother Damchi hissed.

I walked up the stairs and followed the map I'd drawn on my arm exactly to his room. Through the long hall and up another small flight of stairs towards the fourth floor where there was only one room. Two drapes were on the wall across from the only door on the hall. I knocked. Holding my breath, keeping myself from saying anything while I took a second to see if he heard me.

Then I opened the door.

I had heard plenty about Gaara, just walking up to the building with the intent of trying to work for this family. Apparently, this family has a lot of issues… more than mine atleast. I heard he was a monster and uncontrollable. I have 7 brothers, 2 crazy uncles, and a sick father all in one house, I guess hearing how uncontrollable this house was made me want to work there more. Maybe I have this stubborn need to fix things wrong with me, more than the uncontrollable bad mouth, and trigger happy fists, and impatience for bad cooks. The impatience was how I got fired from my last job. I regret punching the critic in the face, but I would do it over again, what did he know about food!However, back to where I was at, food on a plate and hand on Gaara's door handle. So as I opened the door and stepped inside, I should have guessed I'd get the hello I got, but I was still surprised and almost dropped the food… I have to confess Gaara will and probably will always scare me... Not that I will tell him.

Author Notes: I'm writing this story in a pattern. Kimi then Gaara, Kimi then gaara, so next chapter Gaara will be first then Kimi. Also, all the food mentioned/cooked in this story are Indian style food. I figured since they live in the desert, they'd be more likely to eat Indian food than Japanese food, just makes sense to me, and all the food in this story is realistic.