My Puppet Master

Kankuro yawned as he walked down the road. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around like any ninja would. It was important to stay alert, but also he liked taking in how alive the town was since Gaara had become the Kazekage. He found his way to the Tower where his office was. He was greeted by the few ninja passing by and he nodded to them in acknowledgement. He got to his office and checked in. He only used the place as a place for repair on his puppets as well as storage for them.

He opened the office and looked around briefly. Puppets were hanging from the walls, and his tools were scattered all over the desk. Yeah, looked just like his place away from home. He closed the door and continued on to his baby brother's office. After that Naruto kid got through to Gaara they had been able to form a better relationship. Kankuro was no long afraid of his brother, but glad to have him around and running the country.

He knocked on the door and then let himself in without waiting for an answer. He walked in, closing the door behind him. He looked up to see Gaara with his hands clasped in front of his on his desk. Gaara was giving him a look that said he should have waited. Next to Gaara was a feminine figure, her back was to Kakuro so he couldn't figure out who it was. He admired the view of her back side and the way her brown hair cascaded down her back to her shoulder blades.

"Hey Gaara, er, Lord Kazekage. Sorry I didn't wait for a response, I was just in a hurry to get here. You did request my presence did you not?" he asked, as he walked further into the room, looking at the woman. As he got closer the more familiar she looked, and then she turned around. "Ugh. Gaara, what is Akira doing here?" he whined.

Akira smiled at him and rolled her eyes with good humor. "I'm here because I was talking to the Kazekage. If you had waited your turn you would know that." She replied for Gaara, crossing her arms over her ample chest that Kankuro always liked to get an eye full of.

Kankuro found her attractive yes. She had green eyes, brown hair, lovely curved in the perfect of places, and she dressed nice. She had a good personality and he got along well with her. The problem was that they had been friends since they were little, and she always got on his case about things. Temari said he should marry her because she keeps him in line, but he disagrees.

Kankuro gave her a shrug and a smirk. "Well, I'm sorry, Akira. I just figured that my brother would have preferred my company over anyone else's." he said snidely, though not meaning to hurt her.

She merely smiled in reply and nodded. "Ouch. Good thing I know you so well. Otherwise my feelings might have been hurt." She turned to Gaara. "I'll be leaving you now, Lord Kazekage."

Gaara nodded at her and she walked past Kankuro and out the door, closing it quietly behind her. Gaara looked back to his brother and quirked a nonexistent eyebrow. "What took you so long Kankuro? I was about to send Akira out to look for you." He stated.

"Oh. So that's why she was here. I was just walking through town. The messenger didn't make it sound important so I thought I could take my time." He stated, rubbing the back of his head.

Gaara shook his head but leaned back in his chair as he stared up at his older brother. "I called you here because I was going to tell you that you have a mission in two days. You will be heading to the Leaf Village to get some secret scrolls. I am giving you two days off to relax since you just got back from a mission this morning. I thought you'd want to know." He stated.

Kankuro smirked. "Yeah, thanks Gaara. I'll finally be able to take a break and go drinking…Maybe I'll get lucky too." He snickered. Gaara didn't find it amusing.

"Miss Minako will be going with you."

"What, why?" Kankuro asked with surprise.

"She's one of my only best shinobi available for the mission and she keeps you in line. She's going whether you like it or not, and I know secretly that you do." He stated.

"I do not. Akira is a pain in the ass. We're friends sure, but she's so…not my type. She's not very girly, and I doubt she'd be good in be—"

"Kankuro!" Gaara said sternly, cutting off his brother. "I don't want to think of her that way please. You're going with her. Get over it. Enjoy yourself tongith. Go."

With that Kankuro bowed to his brother and took his leave.

It was already evening time when he left his office. He had been working on a new puppet. He made his way to the local bar by his house. He walked in and went straight to the bar and sat down. He ordered some sake and downed the first shot of it he got, already asking for another.

Kankuro scanned the crowd as he held his drink in his hand. Which lucky lady would be the lucky one tonight…Maybe the blonde dancing by herself in the corner… Maybe the girl with the shoulder tattoo, sipping sake with her friends… There was potential in the room that's for sure.

"Already trying to figure out who you're gonna take home?" asked a sultry voice from somewhere next to him.

He turned on the bar stool to face the woman next to him. "Hey Akira. You know me, and Gaara did say I had the next two days off. I'm going to make the most of it. Think I should go with the blonde or the shoulder tattoo?" he asked her, nodding towards the two girls.

Akira looked, though she didn't want to, and analyzed each girl from a woman's perspective. "Shoulder tattoo is with her friends so she'll be harder to get to. Blonde seems to be alone, so she would be your best bet. Tell her you're the Kazekage's brother and you'll get laid be association." She offered up, turning back to the bar and downing some alcohol, making a face at the bitterness.

Kankuro chuckled at her face, and nodded. "Thanks for the input. A few more drinks and I think I'll tackle her." He confirmed.

Akira snorted and ordered a bigger glass of sake. Kankuro turned and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What? Would you rather I sleep with you?" he said teasingly.

Akira spluttered as she took a drink of sake and the bartender glared at her for getting his bar wet. She coughed a bit and blushed. "Oh whatever! You wish you could sleep with me! I wouldn't let you anywhere near my bed!" she retorted back at him. She could feel her face burning at the embarrassment of the situation.

Kankuro chuckled and shrugged. "Then don't get so pissy everytime I pick up a girl. Every time you get all miffed about it like it's a big deal. I'm just meeting the needs of a normal man. Men need to get laid." He said simply.

Akira rolled her eyes and sighed. "Maybe you're my friend and I don't like seeing you whore yourself out to cheap women. You could get diseases you know. Then if you ever meet the love of your life you'll have to be embarrassed that you have herpes and she won't want to sleep with you." She muttered.

Kankuro gave her a disturbed look but shrugged again. "I always use protection, Kira. I know you worry about me but don't. I'm a grown man, and I can make my own decisions." He stood up, downed his drink, and left his money on the bar. "I'll see you tomorrow at the office."

Akira watched him walk towards the blonde and sighed sadly. She hated seeing him jump from one girl to another. Though she probably wouldn't feel any better if he got with one girl and stayed with her. Akira had a thing for Kankuro but he never seemed to notice. She had liked him for a few years, since they were teenagers. She had seen him without his makeup and when he was weak. She still cared about him, probably more than any other woman ever would. It wasn't fair. He just didn't look her way.

She downed her last drink and watched as Kankuro left the bar with his arm around the blonde's waist. She stood up, paid her own bill and left the bar to go get a good night's sleep, though it would probably never come. She'd be too busy occupying her mind with thoughts of Kankuro screwing another woman.

Oh well. She would have to just have to suck it up and deal with it. Nothing was ever going to change.


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