That evening they sit in the living room while the young raven sits listening to Kankuro rambling to her about his day while the others either have their eyes glued to every inch of her turtle mount.
"so you got a job as a caretaker?" Temari enquires as she nods. "what do you do for them?" she hums softly.
"usually things for the members; cleaning, cooking, physical check ups and a regular agony aunt when ever I'm not training" Kankuro leans on the edge of the sofa near to her head.
"your basically like their mother then?" the teen enquires staring at her while she shrugs softly.
"I suppose you could put it that way…" Lily laughs while Kankuro nods, shifting his lip to one side in thought.
"how did you get sucked into that then?" the blonde enquires while the Suna seamstress groan into her cup of coffee.
"Sasha no Bakka dragged me with her, I've been there ever since. Can't say I mind, I got to meet some interesting people. Even joined my very own religion, I'm a matriarch" holding up her glinting pendant they stare at it in awe, the cat hat puppeteer chuckling.
"never saw you as the praying type Lily-san" the seamstress shrugs while cocking her smile again.
"I took up training again as well" they gasp at this while Temari leans in closer.
"I thought after what happened you didn't want to fight anymore?" she keeps her voice lowly but Lily just rubs her hands together.
"I'm not fighting anyone, I'm just training to I can be stronger again" they give a short 'ah' as they stretch out.
"so where are you staying?" the woman pauses before rubbing her chin.
"I was going to get a hotel close by once I found out where you guys were living, I should probably get a room now while it's early in the afternoon" the blonde cousin shakes her head and pats Lily's shoulder.
"you can stay here with us, there's a free guest room we can put you in" the set of lavender eyes widen in shock.
"oh no! I couldn't impose, I wouldn't want to get in your way" both glance at Gaara expectantly for him to say something, the Kazekage rolls his eyes inwardly.
"it's fine, your only staying a week anyway" pausing she gives a guilty face for imposing on them without any warning but Kankuro just jumps up.
"well, what did you bring with you?" he chirps as Lily holds up the bag of clothes in her hand.
"just this and my turtle, I need to go buy some puppet supplies but I'll probably leave that till later in the week just before I go" nodding Temari points out the shower and her bedroom before leaving the cousin to settle in, it felt nice to be able to laze about all day without worrying that someone would want something. To earn the keep she cleans the room while they are out and cooks dinner for them, seeming unhappy with it they give up arguing with the raven haired woman and let her go about helping with anything around the house. Most of the time she would help Kankuro with his puppets or talk to Gaara when he wasn't working on papers, by the forth day she had went shopping to buy the supplies in which she loaded outside because the last thing she wanted was for her already heavy weight mount to break the house's floor inside.
"ah…it feels like I've only been here a day and already it's almost time for me to leave" Lily pouts sitting happily with Gaara on the sofa watching the T.V.
"you can't stay anymore than a week?" the blonde enquires as she sighs softly seeming reluctant to answer.
"if I don't then surly the place will be in more chaos then it already is" shaking her head she glances about for a moment, she seemed restless about the whole thing.
"you okay?" Kankuro enquires as she just smiles and laughs quietly.
"yeah, just really restless about tomorrow. One more day and I have to go and listen to them all whine again, I'm torn between missing my old bedroom there and missing Suna. The puppet supplies here are so much better than they are at the village close to my house, probably why I've bought enough parts to fuel a small army" they laugh quietly amongst themselves before Temari and Kankuro leave to go to bed leaving Gaara and herself in the living room.
Lily smiles at him seeming astonished to find him smile back at her. "since when did Gaara of the desert smile? I should take a picture of it so I have one of you as a baby, kid and teen…you where such a cute baby when you scowled" she smirks nudging him, the sand sibling raises his eyebrow less forehead.
"…it's weird I don't remember you" the Kazekage speaks slowly as Lily just laughs calmly.
"I'm a distant relative, I don't suppose you remember the teddy bear you used to hold?" he blinks while staring at her.
"you're the one who gave me it?" he enquires while Lily just smiles sweetly.
"chose it myself while I was in the hidden village in the mist, it went a long way to get to you" the raven haired girl smiles tilting her head.
"ah…I remember the day I came to see you when you where only about 3 maybe 4 months old, I couldn't help but blush and reframe from squeezing you when you scowled at me with your big, sea green eyes" she blushes to herself in a reminiscing manner, pulling out a book she shoes him all the photos of himself and his siblings as babies.
"Kankuro was a very chubby baby, but the kitty ear hat was the cutest thing I had ever seen" she giggles flipping a few to one of the redhead trying to walk but failing.
"heh, you kept falling over that day. Eventually you managed and the smile on your face made you look like a strawberry" her eyes sparkle again while Gaara stares at the photo's then at her.
"how old are you?" she pauses to glance at the photo's momentarily then to him with a serious tone.
"I guess your old enough now" she shuffles back to get more relaxed. "now, when I say I'm a distance relative, I really do mean it. A long time ago, your lets just say many great uncles ago, was attempting to find immortality like everyone was back then" the teen stares at her in quiet astonishment.
"well he was foolish and of course it was going to be his death, this was what brought a horrible end to many people" she glances at her pale skin shimmering in the living room lighting, the atmosphere calm and quiet.
"he found out about a demon that would grant anyone's one wish if they came with an offering that made him pleased, this offering was of their choosing" Gaara listens patiently to the story.
"he used a young girl as an attempt sacrifice but it failed, instead he doomed himself. The demon was a cruel creature of course, he opened a portal in an attempt to drag them into hell, in an attempt to try save him the young girl tried to save him but instead lost her arm and right side. In amusement he let her live, this wasn't a kind act, it was so she could feel the pain and guilt of the act forever" lifting her head she gives a faint smile towards him.
"you're a good guy, Gaara-sama. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you" Lily smiles at him softly while he glances away with a gentle blush, she giggles at the sight before giving him a fright when she takes a picture.
"that's a keeper…" she smirks cunningly while the Kazekage stares with wide eyes.
"I'm taking pictures of you all, feels empty at home not having more photo's of you guys" the Suna seamstress smiles glancing at him up and down. "smile Gaara-chan" she smirks while his face twitches with annoyance at the name, she takes the picture anyway.
"heh, at least I have a scowling Gaara from the day you where born up until now…I do have pictures of you smiling though so don't think your off the hook" she chimes waiting for the precise moment he smiles, he seemed ready for it as he smirks at the camera.
"close enough…wanna see the pictures I took of Kankuro and Temari sleeping?" Lily deviously smirks holding up the camera, Kankuro laying with his mouth wide open while Temari sleeps with her feet on the pillows and her head under the covers. Using this to make him smile she takes another photo then gives a short 'muhaha' at the photo. "we need to get a group picture…I haven't got many of those. I have 2 maybe 3 of them but that's of you all as kids, can't believe how handsome you became. You must have all the ladies swooning" she nudges him as the sand sibling blushes at the suggestion.
~~On the day that you were born and the angels got together they decided to create a dream come true. So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue~~ she suddenly chimes rubbing her pale fingers through his hair gently before getting up to go to bed with a stretch. ~~That is why all the girls in town follow you all around, just like me, they long to be close to you~~ she chimes softly leaving the room and Gaara with wide eyes.
The final two days had gone so quickly and soon it was time for Lily to leave, pouting she cuddles tightly onto Temari and Kankuro. "try not get in too much trouble" she smiles cheerfully glancing up at Gaara. "good luck with the ladies Gaara-sama" the teen shifts his eyes away to control the blush by gritting his teeth. "onwards my trusty turtle, I hope you like the presents" thumping forwards they gradually take up speed towards the dunes in the distance, she glances back at the three waving as she sighs. "just us again then…I hope the base isn't destroyed" sighing she leans into her mount and looks through her camera's photo's before stowing it safely away so it doesn't get damaged
~~Somewhere after midnight, in my wildest fantasy, somewhere just beyond my reach. There's someone reaching back for me, racing on the thunder and rising with the heat~~ she chants as her mount seems to stomp in beat with her, they take it slow because the freedom tasted so sweet.
~~Up where the mountains meet the heavens above, out where the lightning splits the sea. I could swear there is someone somewhere watching me~~ through the forests the raven haired girl stomps into the base entrance where she does a small sand signal to open it up, it shuts behind her as the fresh air collapses away leaving the smell of blood, sweat and smouldering wood.
~~Through the wind and the chill and the rain and the storm and the flood. I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood~~ there is shuffling before heavy footsteps from many directions are storming towards her, pausing she puts her puppet and herself into stealth mode. She wanted to put everything away before she went to see them, the first to appear is Sasha with her eyes wide and hopeful but on seeing the hallway empty with everyone else they grunt and go from happy to pouts or glares. Once gone she proceeds forwards and into her room that had been intruded by the albino, he had been true to his word when he told her to stay away from him. Inside the bed seemed used and the masochist's scythe laying up against the wall, putting her puppet into the secret room she takes Sasori's things and takes a fast shower before going out to meet her doom.
"danna!" she calls in her manliest voice as the red head pokes his head out, she hides by the corner shaking the paper bag for him. Trotting over he takes it with a smirk then glances at her.
"thanks Lily-san" sneaking into the room with him they sit talking for a little while, apparently everything really did go chaotic. Tobi had broken many different objects in the kitchen, Kisame terrorized them with bad cooking, Deidara had proceeded at one point to use clay as a 'cake' in which blew up the cooker, if that was deliberate or because he was just blonde they weren't sure, Hidan had went with Kakuzu on a shopping 'mission' leaving the base surprisingly full. Leaving Sasori the raven haired girl goes to see the leader who seemed more than thankful to see her home, in-fact he had latched onto her hips and begged her not to leave ever again for more than at least a day at a time.
Shuddering Lily gulps before stepping into the living room. "I'm ba--" she almost got it out before being pounced by the orange masked nin, he is just as thankful to see her as the leader, Itachi and Kisame pushing and shoving with fire in their eyes.
"am I that needed?" she enquires almost losing every bit of air as the mass of arms around her just grows, she is plucked up by Kakuzu who holds her above his head, all of their brows starting to sweat.
"Lily-san?" the miser calmly questions as the room stays quiet.
"yes?" she enquires staring calmly at the ceiling, his grip tightening on her arms.
"if you ever leave this base again, I'll personally turn you into a personal bounty" he calmly speaks as her eyes dim into a plain expression.
"why?" everything still calm and collected but as soon as her feet where to hit the ground it would be a rabble of grabbing again.
"because you cost me too much money when your not keeping an eye on everyone" nodding she stops the miser from putting her down.
"do me a favour, throw me" the green eyed stitch-nin blinks and looks up at her. "the minute you put me down their going to rip me to shreds anyway, may as well make it a game" the miser looks down at the glaring crowd before stretching his arms and flinging her across the room, the group smashing past each other towards her. After being hugged and fought over Lily eventually uses a clone to get them off of her while she runs down the corridor and around a corner right into something knocking her to the ground with a heavy thump, rubbing her forehead she lets her lavender eyes trail up and hit the elusive lilac eyes of Hidan who stares back blankly.
Getting up she rubs the dirt off of her back and tilts her head before leaving with a word to the albino, the rope of his scythe snatches around Lily's body as she widens her eyes and stares at the coiling material.
"where have you been?" the albino enquires with an icy stare, Lily just calmly turns on the rope to look at him.
"out, do you want something Hidan-sama or can I go to the kitchen?" she replies raising her eyebrow as he shifts closer to stare down onto her with a glare, he is silent for a few seconds before he snorts at her and strides off making the metal coil spin her around as he walks away from the woman swiftly.
At dinner the raven haired woman sits silently and authentically eating her rice while attempting to ignore the spastic orange lollypops loud voice, her attention only focused on Kakuzu when he raises his head to speak to her for once. Going to her bedroom she shuts the door and changes into her sleeping PJ's, the bed was softer than usual as she lays down to peacefully close her eyes.
An early day to bed was all she asked for but when she rolls over onto something it had became apparent why her bed was so soft and how it had been used, eyes widening as she gets up slowly grabs her blankets, cloak and pillows. Stepping away from the room slowly she strides past some members looking traumatised, getting onto the small one seat sofa she slips her legs over one end as she curls up slightly to put the blanket over and go to sleep.
"Lily-san….what are you doing" Pein questions as she opens her eyes to glance at him momentarily.
"someone's been in my bed" she replies bluntly closing her eyes again to sigh when he questions this. "lets just say two people have been in my bed?" they give acknowledgement before raising their eyebrows, pulling the blankets further over she lets her hand sit limply out of the sofa to almost touch the ground.
When morning approached the raven haired girl had awoke to find something licking and nipping on her fingers, groaning she glances out of the mounds of covers to glance down at Zetsu.
"Zetsu…stop that" she mumbles making him peer up with his large golden eyes, giving a short 'heh' he disappears back under the ground. "oh, my back" she grumbles from the awkward position she stand up and stretches letting her bones crack, she jumps when someone speaks from the sofa.
"oi, bitch. Keep it down" glancing down her lavender eyes land on Hidan who looks like an albino Gaara.
"…" her lips become ajar for her to say something but she finds her self lost for words, twisting she walks away to start making breakfast, it didn't take long since it was a simple task. Eating her own quickly Lily decides to go into the other realm to see how things where.