"Kankuro?"

The question breaks the silence pervading the living room.

My older brother starts a bit, looking over at me over the top of his book. I didn't know he liked read, but then I noticed the title was something about poison and it made sense. He studied poison like some people studied languages or arts. Like I study the care of cacti.

"Yeah, Gaara?"

I pause, rubbing the bridge my nose for a moment, frowning lightly as I try to think of how to phrase my question. "What…what do you think of me?"

His dark brown eyes widen and he sets his book down. Without the book or his typical kabuki paint hiding his face, he looks completely different. Like a young version of our father. "What do you mean?"

I sigh and sit on the edge of chair across from him, studying him quietly. "I….I mean…" I sigh, again, finding myself at a loss for words. I know what I want to say, but I don't know how to say it. My gaze slips from him and I study the floor instead. "What do you think of me? Who am I to you?"

He's quiet for a long moment, then starts talking. "You're my little brother. You always have been, even when you've been an asshole who tried kill me." He pauses again and I look at him. He meets my gaze steadily and runs a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I think you feel so deeply and so completely that you are sometimes afraid to let people get too close to you because you've been hurt in the past and you believe that those you allow close to you will once again hurt you. I think that you are afraid to be yourself because there are so many contradicting strong influences around you. You just want to make people happy, so you're not quite sure how to do that. I also think you're special. I think that you don't have to be ruled by your past or what other people tell you. I think you are so much more than than what you see yourself to be." He closes one eye in concentration, looking away slightly. "And… I think you're strong. You're so strong, stronger than me. You're still holding on and making it to the next day, week, month, and year, even though you've had such dark times and hard situations happen." He opens his eye and meets my gaze again, his cheeks flushed lightly. "And that strength….that's the strength that will never quit."

I stare at him, thankful for the years of careful control of emotion I have learned. If I didn't have it, my jaw would have fallen open. As it stands, the only sign of surpriseI show is a slight widening of my eyes. I nod and stand. "I see."

Kankuro looks…. hurt, perhaps, for a moment, then he shrugs and grins broadly. "Hey. You asked."

I nod again and he picks up his book. I turn and slip out of the room, heading to my room, the conversation echoing through my head.

This stemmed out of a conversation I had with someone. I may write more chapters too. It's a squishy little sand sib fic I really do hope you enjoy it

anyway, I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.