Spiral Fall.
Kankuro's P.O.V
This was taking the piss. The absolute piss.
By order of the Kazekage, my little brother Gaara, I have to get my ass to Konoha for some mystery mission. To me, anything vague is suspicious, and this whole thing reeks of 'suspicious', not to mention random and out of the blue. I haven't gone to Konoha for what seems like forever, so what on this earth could summon me there now?
On top of that, I'm baby-sitting Momoka and Suiko…If you imagine Gaara's children you would imagine the quiet, stern type of child, kinda moody with a slight darkness about them.
Wrong. Momoka, at five years old, is a very fussy, very all-too-clever-for-her-own-good little bossy boots. While I'm working on my puppets she's demanding this, wanting to paint that, wants an intellectual debate on everything….and don't get me started on Suiko. She's a few months old and already rolling away on the floor in search of adventure. One minute she's there…the next she's rolling into the kitchen, or into my puppet workshop (which, I might add, is full of dangerous tools).
Thankfully, Temari is here to help as Gaara and Akiko attend an urgent 'talk' with Momoka's teacher. By 'talk', we mean Momoka is in trouble again, for either talking back, arguing with or correcting a teacher…put it bluntly, the list is endless with what she could have done. That girl is just unpredictable. I'm not even surprised any more by what stories the teachers tell us.
Temari was sent over to baby-sit with me because she's more likely to get Momoka to do her homework, and extra chores as punishment for her misbehaviour. So far Temari had made Momoka sweep through the entire house, cleaning each and every single room. She had even convinced her to tidy away her books in her room.
"Aunty, why am I being punished for correcting my teacher?" Momoka asked, her clear wise voice raising over the sound of Suiko's happy gurgling.
Temari spun round, flustered with the cooking, and she gave me a sour look as she rushed all over the place, attempting to stop the dinner from erupting from the many disordered pans on the stove. When it was clear Temari was unable to answer, Momoka turned to me, expectant, her clear eyes large and innocent.
"Because it's considered rude and arrogant, Peachy," I answered with a smile, imagining Gaara's grim expression in hearing what Momoka had done this time, "Just what exactly did you do though?"
Momoka sat up straight, a determined look on her face as she ordered her thoughts on the matter.
"We were discussing history, and my teacher got all the dates and locations mixed up. I looked in the textbook and found that she was wrong, so I told her," she said decidedly, composed, "But then she got all grumpy with me!"
Temari, after having overheard, popped her head in from the kitchen.
"You forgot to mention the bit where you exclaimed it to the entire class, embarrassing that poor teacher, and then proceeded to embarrass her by beating her in an argument."
Momoka huffed, and I chuckled. When she got frustrated like this she puffed her cheeks out, something Akiko does when puzzled, and I thought back to six years ago, to when my little brother got the girl and I was rejected. At the time it felt like a kick in the teeth, because not only was I advancing on someone who wasn't interested, but I was advancing on someone my brother had clearly claimed. All the effort I put into winning Akiko over resulted in a sourness between me and Gaara for years…it's only being recently that he's been a little more trusting in me again. I can tell you it all sucked, and I was wrong, but Akiko was seriously cute and I wanted her in a way that I had never wanted a woman before. In a way that still, somewhere, stung at me. I think it's because I was the rejected one, and I've never been able to replace that feeling of love for Akiko with someone else.
Yet, she didn't want me, and that much was pretty clear. It was made horrifyingly clear in the year before they made it official, because they were constantly together, nuzzling at each other and kissing. I had watched from the sidelines as the girl I had been hopelessly in love with was taken away right before my eyes. Every time I went to see Temari I could not escape the sight of Gaara and Akiko together, giggling and whispering affections to each other. You couldn't avoid them, no matter how hard you tried.
When I heard that Akiko was pregnant…well…it ached. Seeing her coo over her bulging stomach with love for her unborn child ached, because I had wanted it to be our child. It didn't help that she had wanted me involved, and I was expected to willingly accept that she was bumping uglies and popping out a baby with my little brother. I hadn't liked any of it.
It has taken a long time, but I'm over it. Kinda. I still sulk over how I was rejected without even an ounce of consideration, and Gaara was the only one she wanted. As far as she was concerned, I could stuff it, because her interests were on Gaara from the very beginning. That had been obvious.
Rubbing my eyes, I puzzled over this 'mission' that I had been forced to agree to, and then lunged forward to stop Suiko climbing the bookcase. Suiko's black hair, inherited from her grandfather Orochimaru, was getting fuller now, but it wisped at the top and tickled my chin as I set her on my lap. When Akiko fell pregnant with Suiko I think I was over the whole thing with Akiko and Gaara. I had to move on, otherwise I looked like a sad sack of shit.
Honestly, I don't want to go on another mission yet. Another one of my mates had gotten married, while the others were having children or proposing. I wanted to settle down. Damn, even Temari was tying the knot with Shikamaru after years of secretive dating, and we all suspected she was pregnant…I was the only singleton, and I was wondering if I was gonna die alone, surrounded by cats. Ninja cats if anything.
I really don't want another mission. I would prefer to go back to my house, get drunk on my own and listen to sad songs on repeat, just because I felt like I needed a good sulking session. However, I was hesitant about doing just that, not only because I had a mission, but because Temari had caught me last time. She found it quite fucking damn funny, and had even gone as far as sharing the joke with Shikamaru when he came round for dinner.
"Kankuro!" Temari snapped, jerking me from my thoughts, "When are you going to get a girlfriend?"
She stood in the doorway like the warrior who had barely survived the kitchen, her apron splattered with random bits of exploded food, oven mittens on and her hair coming out of their bunches.
As if I need to hear more about being single from a snappy woman who can't even cook…
Bitterly, I made a gesture with my arms that clearly said 'I don't fucking know!', and I leaned back with Suiko in my chair, suddenly incredibly tired.
Momoka delved into the discussion headfirst, fascinated by the concept of me having a girlfriend. Her silvery eyes smiled, bright, and her sweet freckled face grinned innocently. If only people knew from looking at her that she was an intelligent, daring know it all…
"I bet she will be really beautiful, with a…sassy personality," she told me cheerfully, giggling.
I poked her in the ribs, bringing forth another giggle, "And just how do you know what 'sassy' means?"
Momoka pouted, looking towards Temari who was dashing about the kitchen again.
"Shikamaru said I was sassy, but apparently it is not a bad thing," she told me, trying to decide if her use of 'sassy' was incorrect.
Shikamaru…I blame him for expanding Momoka's vocabulary beyond that of a normal five-year olds, and for encouraging her to debate and argue…Those two can play shōgi for hours without getting bored, while debating…
I sighed heavily, ruffling Momoka's autumn coloured hair before hearing a knock at the door.
"I'll get it!" I shouted to Temari, standing with Suiko in my arms.
Stepping over Momoka's shōgi board (a gift from Shikamaru, of course); I managed to get to the door without stubbing my toes on any toys. I was wondering if Akiko had taken pity on us and had pre-ordered a takeaway for us like she had last time…
Yet no, instead I opened the door to a very grim and sinister looking Gaara, and an apologetic Akiko. There was also, surprisingly, a bored looking Sasuke, who blinked at me with an unamused expression for a few moments before I opened the door wider for them all. They shuffled in, and Sasuke gave a smirk when he realised I was puzzling at his sudden appearance here.
"Kankuro, you will be leaving with Sasuke for your mission tomorrow morning," Gaara told me flatly as he passed me, his eyes focussed on Momoka as she played shōgi, "But for now I need to have a stern word with Momoka…"
Gaara greeted Suiko and hoisted her from my arms, cradling her as if he wasn't a thoroughly dangerous Kazekage, and Akiko slipped past me quietly. When I looked up to Sasuke, I realised he had yet another sword for Momoka. Upon seeing where my gaze was at, he sighed.
"I lost the shōgi game last time," he explained, "The price of losing…a very expensive sword."
I rolled my eyes, Seriously Momoka? Are you insane? Next she'll be making bets with the Hokage, with the price of Tsunade losing being the title of Hokage!
I asked Sasuke if he knew anything about the mission, and he shrugged his shoulders, muttered a deep 'Hn', and then went forth to present the sword to Momoka before Gaara could take Momoka aside for a stern word.
Gaara was practically simmering with rage, and I'm guessing Momoka didn't just correct the teacher on history…something else must have happened.
Finally, Temari presented us with…whatever it is she had created in the kitchen, and as we all sat down to eat (with concerned expressions about the food, I may add), Sasuke began to indulge Momoka in a debate over whether sweet or bland food was better. Akiko joined in, but Gaara was still upset with Momoka. He may be the almighty, tough kazekage, but he worries too much about Momoka and Suiko, and he avoids making them cry at all costs, but does not hesitate to discipline them. He was strict, but he was so adoring of them both that it made anyone go 'awwww'.
Discussion drifted from debate, to debate, to debate, and when dinner was over Gaara asked Momoka for a quiet word. Akiko accompanied them, and the room went very silent. So silent, that you half expected a tumbleweed to pass on by.
Temari went to tidy up her mess in the kitchen, leaving me and Sasuke at the table downing our beers. I contemplated breaking the silence, but I was too tired at this point. Sometimes it feels like too much effort to talk when we were sat in comfortable silence, but when I looked to Sasuke I knew he wanted to say something. He just likes to mull his words over before actually saying them.
Finally, Sasuke spoke up after five minutes.
"About the mission," he announced, his eyes on me, "I do know that there are others involved."
When I raised an eyebrow, he continued in his monotone voice, looking completely unamused.
"Apart from us: Naruto, Kiba, Choji, Shino and Rock Lee are also a part of this mission."
A frown mashed itself onto my brow. Those were a load of people, all of which were from Konoha apart from myself, and they were all very powerful. What kind of mission is this? I had visions of an A-rank mission that would end in a bloodbath...
"Has the Hokage said anything about the mission? At all?" I asked, leaning forward over my beer, intrigued.
Sasuke blinked.
"She said that it was absolutely compulsory, and if we tried to back out of it she would skin us all."
I flinched, not doubting Tsunade would in fact skin us, but for her to make such a threat meant that this was an important mission. Downing more of my beer, I looked to Sasuke, and was startled to see that he had already had three beers. Over the last five years I have gotten to know Sasuke. When he drinks beer fast, it means something's up.
"Life getting you down?" I asked lightly, careful not to pry too deeply with my words.
His eyes bored into mine, blazing, but he nodded despite the defiant look he had.
"Sakura finally got married to that guy. The one who wrote her love letters after treating him in the war. They're on their honeymoon. Round about now they'll be bumping uglies," he stated flatly, though his eye twitched.
"Thought you didn't like the girl," I puzzled, handing him another beer.
Sasuke snorted, taking a long deep drink, a faint blush forming on his cheeks from the alcohol.
"No, she's annoying. It's just I always thought she was 'my' Sakura. The Sakura who would always be chasing me, giggling at everything I said and…so on."
"But you're not interested?" I asked, chuckling as he drained his fourth beer.
He glared at me.
"No I'm not interested. It's just…she was one of the only girls I knew well enough to see past the 'pretty boy' look. She actually knew me. Now it feels like I've lost someone."
Silence drifted between us as his words sank in, and we both looked pretty grim. I finished my beer in one long sip, calling it my last for the night, before sitting back and drumming my fingers against the table.
"Well…" I muttered, clearing my throat, "Here's to us cranky, cynical and crabby men, who don't know how to interest a woman…"
Sasuke smirked, raising his beer, though a sadness lurked in his eyes.
"I'll drink to anything. Fuck the speech, Kankuro."
Chuckling, I continued to watch Sasuke drink fast; pondering if the almighty Uchiha was becoming a softie. However, one piercing glare from him put that thought right out my mind, and he demanded more beer. I grumped over to the fridge, pondering the look I had seen in those black eyes.
It was a long time until Sasuke finally reached his limit, and as he stumbled over to the sofa to sleep, I noted that the entire house was now silent. Now that I was alone with my thoughts, I considered the strange summoning to Konoha, circling the mystery in my head continuously, until finally sleep consumed me.
So the mission so far is a mystery...but! Read on and all will become clear...and more interesting, I assure you :)
Please review, advise and criticise!
Next up is Sasuke's P.O.V, and he make's an interesting discovery...