Hana's POV
I'm only going to say it once. Gaara's house was pretty big. And much nicer than any other establishment that I had ever dared to enter.
The sandstone walls and floors were polished, and grand rugs were spread on the floor and silk banners draped the walls. I felt very out of place, like a tarnished silver coin on a shelf that held beautiful crystal vases and golden plates.
I didn't want to refuse such a kind offer... it would be impolite. And manners were pretty much everything I had. But now, I felt very, very, inferior. I had tried to protest quietly before, but he Gaara wouldn't hear a word about it. So I just decided to bite my tongue and go along.
"Oh, great Kyubbi." I muttered under my breath, still enthralled by the enviornment.
"It's nice, isn't it?" I heard Gaara's low voice in my ear. I shivered slightly as prickles raced down my spine; I hadn't realized he was so close behind me. "If there's anything you need, just tell me. Temari and Kankuro will help as well."
"Temari and Kankuro?"
"Oh, right, you haven't met them." He shrugged. "My older brother and sister. I'll introduce you." He called out. "Kankuro? Temari?"
"Wait," I said, momentarily confused. "But if you're younger, then how come you're the Kazekage?"
He gave me a searching look for a moment, and for a moment I was afraid that I had offended him. Then he said slowly, "I was stronger."
I gave an involuntary shudder, wondering how dangerous Gaara was if he had managed to surpass his own elder siblings.
"What, Gaara?" A girl with blond hair gathered into two bunches walked into the hallway. Her eyes were pale blue, like the desert sky, and she was nicely tanned. "What is it… now…" She suddenly saw me, standing nervously in front of Gaara, and she froze. Her eyes flicked back and forth, like she was trying to figure something out. Then, having finally found the answer, she smirked. "Oh. I see."
Whatever she saw was invisible to me.
"Yes, oh overlord Kazekage?" This time a boy strode over to take his place next to Temari. He was wearing a full black bodysuit, complete with a hood with two cat-like ears attached to it. Purple pain was smeared onto his cheekbones and around his eyes so I couldn't make out any definitive facial features. "Does this have to do with-?" He also paused, stared at me for a few seconds, then whistled. Raising his eyebrows, he asked, "And who is this?"
"This-" Gaara sent him a warning look. "-is Hana. I'm helping her out. Please be nice to her." He placed his hands on my shoulders. I resisted the urge to flinch away from the physical contact.
I was feeling terribly uncomfortable. Temari was still looking at me like that, with a half-amazed half-satisfied expression, and looking at Gaara with a half-amazed half-smug expression. Whatever she was thinking, I'm guessing it didn't bode well for me. Her expression looked like she had been named supreme ruler of the universe.
Kankuro was still staring shamelessly at me (didn't that guy have any manners?) with an expression like a hungry wolf. I shifted nervously from one foot to the other, then said very quietly to my shoes, "Pleasure to meet you." I'm not sure if I really meant it.
"Likewise." Temari- seeing that we were making me uncomfortable- made the first move and walked forward and extended a hand. I shook it, and she smiled kindly. "I'm Temari."
"And I'm Kankuro." He walked forward and also extended a hand. "Nice to meet you too."
I nodded, giving a weak smile, the knot of tension easing very slightly in my stomach. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad after all.
"Well, here's your room!" Temari said cheerfully with a grandiose air. She led me down the hall and opened the door, and I couldn't suppress a small gasp of surprise.
It was big. Much bigger than my room at home, and certainly more lavish. My bed was huge, and there was a small room to the side that was entirely for clothes.
I didn't have enough clothes to fill even half of the walk-in closet.
"It's wonderful." I managed to say. I gave her an awed look. "You guys live like this? All the time?"
"Yeah." Temari rubbed the back of her head modestly. "It's nice, I guess, having my baby brother being the Kazekage. It comes with all sorts of perks." She gestured to the room around her. "Such as, a huge house, amazing food, and the instant respect of all Sunagakure citizens."
I stepped in and smoothed the bedspread with my hands. "Thank you so much. I really shouldn't accept all this..."
"Ah, calm down." She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "It's no problem for us. Like I said, we live like this all the time." She closed the door with a snap behind her and sat down in one of the chairs, looking at me expectantly. "So, what happened?"
"What happened what?" I asked evasively sitting down opposite her.
"Oh, come on!" She waved her hand. "How did you meet Gaara? He's not labeled as the "friendliest person in Sunagakure, if you know what I mean. Doesn't usually go out of his way to make friends. In fact, he's rather reserved, even cold by some of the inhabitants' standards."
"I wouldn't call us exactly friends. More like… acquaintances." I glanced towards of the glass windows. They were clean and polished and shining, nothing like the grimy things in my home. No, not my home, my old home. "He rescued me from my father." I confessed finally, feeling like I could trust Temari. She had this sisterly aura about her. Never having had a sister, I decided that if I did, she would be like the female sand ninja.
I explained everything to Temari, editing out the part where I lost control, who sat, listening, not interrupting.
"Rough childhood." She admitted when I was finished. She frowned. "Wait, what about your mother? Wasn't she there, or was she working or something?"
My mother. Oh no, not again!
A scream. My own, I guessed later, but no one could be sure in that chaos. In an instant, my mother stood in front of me, back to the threat, barricading me in with her arms, protecting me. I screamed and cried, hitting her with my tiny fists, but she refused to move.
I could see the glint of the knife as if sprouted from her stomach. Blood poured from the wound and from her mouth, as she smiled at me one last time, speaking her last words.
"You'll always be beautiful. I love you."
Later, I learned to fear those words. Beauty was an illusion; a mask to hide ugliness. Love was fake; it surrounded you, then faded away, leaving you more desolate than you were before.
And then everything went black.
Gaara's POV
"Hey, bro!"
I turned towards the voice, inwardly sighing. What did Kankuro want now?
"So," He said breathlessly, slowing his pace now that he was level with me. "What's the story with the hottie?"
I felt a prickle of annoyance and jealousy. "What do you mean, story? And her name is Hana."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." He waved his hand dismissively. "What I mean is, where did you pick up a girl like her?"
I sighed. I should've none that this would happen. I relayed the story.
"Whoa." He whistled. "Poor girl. Remind you of anyone?"
I stayed silent, sending him one of my infamous glares. He smirked. "Okay, okay, I get it. But seriously, do you like her?"
"She's pleasant, nice-looking, polite, and can take care of herself." I replied nonchalantly, evasively. "What's not to like?"
He rolled his black eyes, lip curling in scorn. "You know what I mean. Do you like her?"
I paused, turning the question over in my head. Did I like Hana? She was beautiful, that was for sure, but there was something else. The way she talked was modest, shy and respectful, but underneath that mask was a fighting spirit. The way she lashed out at me when I informed her she wasn't going back to her father. And the way that she was unaware of her beauty. It didn't make her vain or arrogant. I liked that.
"Well," I began reluctantly. I guess I could trust Kankuro. He was my brother, after all. If I couldn't trust him, I couldn't trust anybody. He leaned forward eagerly. "I guess-"
"Gaara! Gaara!"
Kankuro groaned as Temari, running breathlessly, caught up to us. "You ruined it, Temari! I was just about to get him to crack about Hana!"
"That can wait." She insisted. Her face was flushed and she looked a little guilty and maybe a bit confused, as if she had done something wrong but didn't know exactly how. "Hana collapsed!"
"What?!" Kankuro and I exclaimed in unison.
"Yeah, she did! I asked her a question, and she got this look in her eyes, and she just fainted!"
I don't really remember getting there. All I remember is thinking that the corridor seemed much shorter when I wasn't running.
I wonder what Temari had asked Hana to make her black out.
A/N: Please review!
