-Kankuro-

I groan quietly as Gaara pads out of the room. "Goddamn you're an idiot." I say out loud. I quickly glance around for Temari or Gaara, but I'm alone.

Why had I said all that? I just gave my brother -Gaara of the Sand- a word vomit paragraph that he probably didn't appreciate.

Not to say none of it wasn't true. The floor over my head creaks ever so slightly and I frown, wondering if Gaara was pacing. That wasn't necessarily a bad sign, but then it wasn't a good sign.

I sigh dragging my hand through my hair, wondering what had led Gaara to ask something like that.

He'd slipped into the room while I was reading. I knew he was there -a chakra strength like his was hard to miss- but he hadn't spoken. This wasn't something unusual. Since the Chunin exams nearly a year ago, he'd been changing. He was still quiet, but his death threats had lessened. Actually, if I admitted it, he only threatened to kill me about once a month… usually right around the full moon. And as for trying to kill me, he'd only wrapped me in the sand coffin once, compressing it until several ribs broke. In his defense, that event had happened during the first full moon after returning from the failed exams.

When he spoke, it had startled me, but that was because I was deep in the middle of a paragraph about the effects of a poison and not paying attention to him. When I'd looked up, I'd been surprised. He'd looked his age, thirteen, young and worried, his sea green eyes several shades darker by what had seemed like worry. He'd been dressed in a loose white t-shirt and black pants, not his usual uniform. His hair was messier than normal, looking like he'd raked his hands through it over and over.

When he saw me after he had asked his question, his eyes had narrowed slightly, then he'd looked away.

I still don't know what possessed me.

After I'd finished, his eyes had widened, not much, but they had. I couldn't tell if it was surprise or anger -damn, that kid was hard to read- then he'd turned and walked out, his only response a quiet "I see" and a nod.

I drag a hand through my hair and shrug. "Well.. that's in the past. What's been said's been said."

I realize I'm talking to myself again and resolve to spend more time with people and less with my puppets

A/N :

I don't own Naruto.

The characters may slide a little out of character. I write them the way I see them through the manga and show.