The washer at the red dawn boarding house was a lovely starch white machine that had four settings. One for delicates, one for towels, one for regular wash and another for heavy. Each setting had possibilities for water level, amount of cycles and that was all well and fine. It got cloths impeccably clean and for that I loved it more than I loved a fresh package of sanitizing wet wipes.
However, the next morning when I attempted to start my own laundry, I found the wonderful washer broken. Kakuzu had yet to leave for work, so I went looking for him to see about getting it fixed.
"I'll have a look at it later," he grunted, pulling on a leather loafer.
"Can't we call a repair man? I need these cloths to be ready for tonight, I'm going to dinner," I said, stating my case.
"I'm not hiring some asshole until I know what's wrong. Money does not grow on trees," he spat, "your cloths are not my problem."
He left me fuming in the hallway as he got in his car and went to work. I made a mental note to find a way to get him back later but Id already forgot by the time I arrived at a solution to my problem. Id have to go over and bug Tobi to use his washer. As it happened, he was leaving and his aunt and uncle had run off to work, and he told me that he'd love to let me, but it went against some of the new rules Konan had lay down, in fact, I was violating one right that moment, he was supposed to have either Pein or Konan home when friends came over. I didn't want to push his luck so I left, managing to work myself up in the short walk back home.
I ran upstairs fearing a panic attack and opened my pill bottle, about to throw back another pill when I realized I only had five left. If I took one now, or I needed another or whichever problem my rushing brain came up with despite it being possible, I wouldn't have one for later if I really needed it.
I tried to talk myself down out of it but I couldn't, no matter how many deep breathes or sheep I counted, I was still freaking the fuck out. I decided agenst my better judgement to try and drink it off, hoping the alcohol, being a depressant, would relax me. It didn't.
I was half drunk when I got the bright idea to call Sasori at work to ask him for that physiologist's number. But wait a second, he told me not to do that, but I had to, but he'd be mad, but I needed something, anything. Finally I broke down and called my boyfriend at work, half sobbing into my glass of wine. I was lucky he picked up and not the kids or Deidara.
"Hello?" He drawled.
"Sasori?" I asked, and before he had a chance to answer I started in at a million miles an hour.
"Kimi, stop," he commanded, "stop. Tell me what's wrong?"
"Okay," I took a deep breath, "okay, the washer is broken, and Tobi left and I'm almost out of medicine, plus I have this huge bruise on my face and I can't go to dinner without cloths, I already look like a mess, and-"
"Kimi, stop," he commanded again, "stop. You have other cloths. We can get you more medicine."
"But I-" I tried to interject but he refused to allow it. He sort of forced me to stay calm, and I liked that.
"Stop," he said calmly, sounding quite cool over the phone, "I'm sending Deidara to get you. Until then, lay off the alcohol, sit down, and I want you to count the number of cars that go down the street."
We said good bye and I turned to the window after seating myself on the couch. I counted the cars just like he asked me to until Deidara showed up in the loaner car Sasori had while his was getting fixed. Id counted only forty three but the number, I supposed, was satisfactory since the end result was to keep me calm. It served it purpose. Deidara stayed quiet and let me play with the radio on the way back to the store. He never minded the million times I changed the station, though he was sure to change it back to talk radio when we arrived.
He took me in though the back to avoid any people in my personal space and set me up in the wood working room.
"Sasori said he'll be around as soon as he can get away from the front desk," my surrogate brother grinned, patting my arm, "if you wanna organize those awls feel free."
He had to leave too, saying something about restocking, and I turned around to the task at hand. The house had been relatively stagnant the past few days besides all the drama, staying strangely clean, so I was almost glad to find something to do with myself besides watch tv.
I first collected all of the awls from around the room, wiped them off and then began organizing the wood working tools by length. A rack had already been made for them so all I had to do was put them away, though, judging by the pristine condition of the rack it didn't see much use.
Id just finished when the hinges on the door creaked open and then shut, attracting my attention. Sasori, looking sort of tired and worn out came my way, pulling up a chair and sitting down to gaze in my direction.
"I'm sorry, I know you told me not to call you at work but I-" I tried to explain but he rose a hand to silence me.
"How many cars did you see?" He asked, a small smile ghosting onto his face. I smiled back at him, telling him only forty three, but Id expected more.
"That's fine. We've got eternity to count cars," he replied sort of dryly, "you were freaking out about the washer? What's wrong with the cloths you have on?"
I shook my head, my grin falling, nothing was exactly wrong with them I supposed. It was the principle of the thing though, it was an important party from my point of view, I should wear a better outfit than jeans and a v-neck. In reality the party was just a simple get together. Sasori didn't even plan on changing out of his work cloths.
"I'll call about your medicine later on, now, do you think you can stay back here and calm down?" he drawled, and I knew he was thinking yet again I was too immature for him. I nodded, feeling sort of defeated and tired now the panic was working its way out of my system.
"Listen," he sighed, coming closer to hold gently my cheek in his spindly fingers, "don't feel bad. You can't help it."
He was right, I couldn't help it and Id probably never be able to. I knew he didn't feel like he was baby sitting me but I felt like a child compared to him. After thumbing my lower lip, he leaned down and gave me a quick peck on the lips. He left then, hand lingering on my face. Slowly but surely he was getting better.
I decided to sit down in the chair my boyfriend had previously occupied and I put my legs up on a nearby stool, kicking back with no one around and time to let myself catch up. I hadn't noticed Id fallen asleep until Deidara was shaking me awake.
"Sasori's closing up right now, time to go," he grinned, tip toeing around me after such a rough day. I nodded and collected myself, heading out into the hot summer sun to climb in to the car's passenger seat as my little brother got in the back. He'd started the car and air condoning, so it was comfortable inside as we watched the heat waves rise above the engine. The red head joined us moments later.
"We're just going to drop Deidara off, we'll be late if we stay any longer," he informed me, and I knew how he felt about being late. I couldn't help but think he was already in a rush as we pulled in to the house and pulled back out, minus one Deidara, all in under thirty seconds.
I was sure he was rushing by the time we arrived at his sister's house, parking on the street and past the drive way. He lead the way up to the house, a simple ranch styled home with a lovely rose garden standing front and center in a curving flower bed that framed the house and the walkway. The interior of the house was just as cozy. I could see a large oak table from the door, set with white plates and flowers in the center. Sasori's nephews and niece milled around their mother, who stood at the stove, putting the finishing touches on her meat, potatoes and extra vegetables.
"Come on in Sasori!" The blonde woman chipped, turning around for just a second to great us, "Oh! Hi, you must be Kimi! Welcome! I'm Karura!"
"It's nice to meet you," I grinned, sort of nervously. I was tired but still on edge from earlier, but I knew I needed to force myself to get though tonight.
"Okay guys!" Karura shouted, "come eat!"
Another man drifted in from the living room, then an elderly man after him, and finally an elderly woman brought up the rear, a blonde man helping her to her seat. No one else was present.
Rasa was Sasori's brother in law and shook my hand when he greated me. He was brown haired and had hard looking eyes, but he treated his wife kindly and complimented her cooking without even tasting it. He was stern with the kids, commanding them to be quiet and wash their hands immediately, but still asked them how their days had gone while he was at work.
Yashamaru was Karura and Sasori's half brother, and he took shook my hand before pulling me in to a hug. He was warm personalities and happy, and he made small talk with me as we made up our plates. I sat between him and Sasori, and across from the woman this dinner was for.
Sasori's grandmother was a surly old grouch way past her time. She scrutinized her husband for every little thing and constantly yelled at her granddaughter and great grand children. Karura managed to laugh it off but the kids weren't so keen.
"Grandmother," Sasori spoke up, clearing his throat and pulling her attention from Gaara, "Id like you to meet my girlfriend."
"About time," she sneered, "what's your name girl?"
"K-Kimiko," I stuttered, intimidated. She narrowed her eyes at me and grunted a laugh before she went back to eating and that was the end of it. I looked over to Sasori who visibly relaxed and I assumed that was the end of it. Id been accepted. I grinned and reached to hold my boyfriends hand under the table, giving his palm a gentile squeeze.
The rest of dinner went well, I managed to avoid any attention drawn to me and the food was good. No alcohol was served and we left the house after dinner, Sasori hadn't wanted to stay longer, silently insisting that his family was on his last nerve. After arriving back at the house, we were about to part ways in the hallway to head to our respective rooms when he halted me.
"I suppose I owe you a good night kiss?" He drawled, eyes looking heavy and his tone lax. I grinned and leaned in to kiss him, meshing our lips together in a warm lip lock that sent tingles up my spine. I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him closer and I did likewise with his hips, our lips stuck together like glue. As soon as one of us tried to pull away, the other drew them back in, until we both had to come up for air.
"Could you do one thing for me?" He questioned and I nodded, half dreaming and half lidded.
"Id like to paint you, not you per say, but you, as the canvas."
"What does that involve exactly?" I questioned, holding him tightly against me still. He wanted to be intimate but without being sexual. The next thing I knew I was sitting cross legged on his bed while he dimmed the lights, and paired with the heat of this summer night, the room felt peaceful and inviting. I was drunk without drinking.
"Your going to have to take off your top. I won't look," he assured, retreating for a moment to grab a box containing paint from his closet and a towel from a pile of freshly folded ones. I stalled a little, unsure of what I'd just agreed to. He watched me for a second before he made a hand motion to hurry up. This would be harmless I reasoned, he couldn't see if I faced away from him. After spreading the towel out, I adjusted my seat, facing away from him at an angle I was sure I was safe from any wandering eyes and did as requested of me.
He sat down behind me and swept my hair to the side, tucking it behind my shoulder to keep a clear space. I heard the paint tube open and squirt out. He used his own arm as a paint pallet and a horse hair paintbrush, thin and fine.
The paint was wet and cold, but where the artist rested his hand it was warm.
"I appreciate this," he droned, like he was coached to say it. I didn't respond.
Paintings, usually, lasted a long time, some hundreds, some others thousands of years. Sasori loved something more the longer it was intended to last. I wasn't aware he'd been a painter until now, and the longer he worked the more relaxed he got. His short, nervous brush strokes got longer and longer, more thought put in to each movement. I wondered if it felt as good to him as it did me. I felt very calm, especially after all the day's events, and I owed it all to him.
"It'll be dry in a few minutes. This is a special kind of paint, it's going to stain your skin but it won't get on your cloths or anything," he sighed. Looking over my shoulder I watched him and he watched back.
"Would you like to see?" He asked, sticking the brush in a nearby, forgotten glass of water. I nodded. He found a small mirror in a drawer and angled it where I could see by turning my head. He'd painted a copy of starry night, beautiful blues and blacks dotted with a bright contrasting yellow.
"It's so pretty," I gasped, feeling very fortunate I was dating someone with so much talent.
"It's a reproduction," he said in monotone, laying the mirror down, "paint isn't my strong point as you could imagine."
"Oh, no, don't say that," I grinned, "I think it's lovely."
He grinned too, that sort of sad looking smile that Id grown so accustomed to, "I'm glad you like it," he sighed, as if he hadn't just made a work of art on my skin. He was a classic kind of guy and I loved that. He liked Hemingway, fine art, he was an entrepreneur, what was next? A white horse to sweep me further off my feet?
I thought back how awkward this relationship had started, mostly drunk with a lot of confusion and it had all lead up to the dinner and it had gone unimaginably well.
"Can I ask what happened to your mom and dad?" I asked suddenly, and seconds later I realized Id ruined our moment. He chewed his cheek for a moment, weighing his options and considering what he should say. I shyed away from him, thinking Id upset him, but surprisingly he opened his mouth and told me everything.
"My father passed away when Karura and I were young, and my mother got remarried. Everything was fine for some time until they passed away in a car accident. I was five or so."
He must have been so worried when Id gotten smashed, thinking Id meet the same fate as his parents. I watched his face change from a relaxed, vaguely happy expression to one that looked set on edge, and I watched him take a deep breathe and calm himself, telling himself he could do this.
"My grandparents saw us kids as more a burden.. Yashamaru went to live with another aunt since he was so young and Karura sought happyness in boyfriends, so she wasn't around much either. "
I didn't respond long after he'd finished speaking because I wasn't sure exactly what to say. I touched his hand reassuringly though, and he continued.
"I'm glad things turned out so well," he said, sounding genuine, "My younger brother is happy, my sister has three beautiful children and a husband, just like she wanted, and my grandparents are still hanging in there."
"What about you though?" I asked quietly and his reply did not surprise me. He tilted my chin down and kissed my forehead, just like a princess with his lips lingering on my skin, "well I've got you and Deidara. That's all I need."
Everything was out in the open now, no more skeletons. He pulled me closer now the paint was dry and held me without an urge to push me away or leave the room, a few tears escaping his eyes until he got ahold of himself.
"You mean a lot to me too," I murmured, nuzzling my nose in to his neck, "I love you."
"I love you too," he returned.
It didn't feel strange to tell him that. It was amazing to me that I was able to let him in to my closed off, nerve wracking world and I was so happy for that, not to mention the joy he brought me.
"Kimi," he mumbled, having to repeat himself because I hadn't heard him the first time, "would you marry me?"