HE HAD COME to accept that when he needed it, no one would be there to help him. He was the one who helped, not the one who was helped.

Kankuro eyed his brother, wondering what it was like to be the brother without responsibilities, the brother who didn't have to worry about the other. Times like this made him viciously angry that he'd been born first. He was given all the responsibility of fixing situations that he himself was the last hear about.

"Gaara?" he whispered tentatively, reaching out with his left hand to gently prod his brother's shoulder. Gaara ignored him completely, rocking back and forth endlessly. Kankuro sighed in frustration; he was just as frustrated and in just as much pain as him right now. In fact, his pain was worse. Why was he forced to do this? "Listen, you little shit, this isn't fair. You need to crawl back out of your fucking pity hole and join the real world. This isn't fucking fair. I protected you then. I shouldn't have to protect you now!"

Gaara stopped rocking back and forth to such a degree; he trembled back and forth at the shoulders but the degree of his rocking was decreased. His lips still twisted feverishly around words that neither Sasori nor Tsunade could hear.

Kankuro knew exactly what he was saying. "Deliver us from evil, lead us not to temptation, yada-yada. Gaara, we weren't lead to temptation. We were the temptation; snap out of it. Come on. I just want to go back and be by myself."

Gaara's motions stilled, and he angrily bit his lip. "This isn't fair. We could have been normal. We could have... Why couldn't we?"

"What do you want me to tell you? That God had other plans? If he did, I'd sure to like know what purpose putting me through all of that served."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, you two, but what are you talking about?" inquired Sasori, his face pale with worry. "I should have told you sooner, but... I just didn't think about it. I was just trying to fit in and know you... I didn't think it was important. I always envied you; I imagined you guys together and happy all the time and I thought..."

"We were anything but happy," snarled Gaara. "Father made sure of that."

Tsunade blanched realizing what he'd said. "What did your father do, Gaara?"

Gaara's eyes widened in fear and the narrowed when he realized what he'd said; what he had done. "Nothing."

Kankuro groaned and pressed his forearms to his head, locking his hands behind his head. "Stop it! Why do you want to know so badly?"

"Because it obviously still bothers you! I just want to help you! Whatever it is, it's eating you up inside and I can see it!" retorted Tsunade, unable to keep the sound of tears out of her voice.

Kankuro bit his lip and rolled his eyes to the ceiling, avoiding her grief stricken gaze. He couldn't deal with this. "Then let it eat at me a little longer. I'll be fine. I always am. I have to be. For now, though, let me just not deal with everyone else's problems. I have my own, you know, I can't always be looking out for him!"

Kankuro angrily rose to his feet; there was such force behind his motion that his chair toppled over backwards. Tsunade didn't stop him as he stalked from the room. Instead her gaze fell to Gaara. Tears were welling up in his eyes. Before she could console him in the slightest, he caught her pitying gaze and quickly fled the scene.

This news was supposed to unit them... all she had succeeded in doing was to tear them even further apart.

[.-_-.]

SHIKAMARU AWKWARDLY PATTED him on the shoulder, unsure of how to make him feel better. Sasori ignored the dark-haired young man that shadowed him as he walked back to his wing.

"Come on, man, you can't ignore me forever. I know how this feels, but it'll get better. Things will turn out... less troublesome than they are now." He was trying to make him feel better. Sasori was the only one who gave him the time of day lately, even though he himself hardly ever gave anyone else a chance to talk to him.

"Shut up," snapped Sasori, repressing a yawn. He was so tired... All he wanted was to sleep for the next fourty-eight hours.

"Look, ignoring it won't make it go away. It's more work, but in the end... that work will pay off!"

Sasori leaned against the wall, wishing he'd done more to sooth Tsunade. She needed it. He growled deep in his throat, unable to ignore the nagging feeling of guilt. It was so foreign and unusual that it was simply overwhelming. He hadn't felt guilty like this in a long time. "I hate you, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru laughed slowly, and braced his hands behind his head as he leaned against the wall next to Sasori. When Sasori pushed away from the wall, Shikamaru didn't budge. "Tell her that I said I'll watch them and come see her tonight and let her know how things are doing."

Sasori flipped Shikamaru the bird as he skulked back down the corridor to comfort Tsunade. He wasn't sure how to be proficient in consoling, but he was willing to try in the name of the one woman who had thus far done him no wrong.

[.-_-.]

"LOOK, I KNOW you're still mad at me, but can I come in?" pleaded Kankuro, leaning his head against the cool wood of the door. He'd knocked more than four times but she hadn't answered.

"Oh! It's you; why didn't you say so?" she demanded, yanking the door open. Kai was surprised to see the tears in his eyes, but didn't object as he swiftly entered the room and slammed the door behind him before leaning his back against the door. He looks so... pitiful. "God, Kankuro, are you all right?"

When he slowly shook his head 'no,' she felt something inside of her crumble.

"I don't know to help you..." she whispered, unsure of what to do. The last time she'd put a hand on him he'd practically fled her touch. Now what was she supposed to do?

Wordlessly he moved to her and pressed his lips against hers in a chaste, though admittedly unwarranted kiss. When he wrapped his arms around her in a bone-crushing embrace, she silently endured it as long as she could.

"Kankuro, I can't really breathe." She hated to sound as though she didn't care, but she knew that letting him inadvertently strangle her would not solve anything. When he finally released her from his grip, she didn't move away from him. "How can... what can I do to make you feel better?"

"Stay with me..." he mumbled, refusing to look her in the eye. "I just... for once, I want someone to not need me when we both feel like shit."

Kai smiled, pleased to be able to help him. "Wanna cuddle, then?"

Kankuro nodded, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. It fell from his lips before he could act upon it, though. Without a further word, he crawled onto the bed after her, resting his head on the flat of her stomach. She hadn't expected that, but she didn't act surprised. She toyed with his hair until his ragged breathing slowed. Hopefully he'd feel better in a little bit. Kai knew better than to press him until he started to talk about it himself.

[.-_-.]

TO SAY THAT she was surprised would be a lie. She'd been expected Gaara to rush through her door, fuck her silly, and then lay with her in abject misery for a few days now. She was dying to know what had caused his break in demeanor.

He snuggled into her neck, scraping his teeth against the junction of her shoulders and the column of her throat, effectively silencing her for a moment as a warm hum of pleasure tingled throughout her, calming her. When she found her voice again, he grumbled in complaint.

"Gaara, what happened? I don't mind letting you give me endless orgasms but there has to be something in this for you... Are you all right?" she lazily threaded a few fingers through his hair, rubbing his scalp in circular motions.

"I found out my father isn't my father."

"Why did you freak out? I thought you hated him..." Sakura pulled her head back, pressing it into the pillow to try and get a better look at his face.

"I did. But it means that everything he did to Kankuro and I... it could have been avoided. Everything he did was done by a stranger, not the man we thought we knew. It's more disgusting that it bothers me that I didn't even know who he really was, but... I don't know..."

"Disgusting? What the fuck, Gaara. What are you talking about?" Sakura propped herself up on her elbows ignoring his ploy to change the subject when he toyed with her nipples. "Cut it out. What did he do?"
"I don't wanna talk about it," he mumbled burying his face in her neck. "Please, just stop. You're making me feel worse."

Sakura guiltily sank back to the mattress. She could feel his hot tears dripping onto her neck. Shakily she guided a hand to his head, toying with his hair just how he liked it. "I'm so sorry, Gaara. You don't deserve that."

Any of it.

[.-_-.]

"Can you believe it?" panted Kiba, dodging Naruto's wild punch. "Watch it, man! I want to take her on a lunch date or something; if you fuck up my face she'll never say yes!"

"Oi! Kiba, let him do his work! You're here to work out and strengthen your youthful bodies, not talk about strengthening your relationships outside of the gym!" growled a man with dark-black hair which had been cut in a classic bowl-cut style.

"Sorry Gai! See what you caused Kiba? Now I really gotta kick your ass," chuckled Naruto, digging his fist deep into Kiba's stomach. Kiba growled ferally and pounced on Naruto.

What had begun as fun and games was quickly becoming a desperate brawl to out-hurt the other. Naruto and Kiba had both been talking about how out-of-sorts they felt in lew of not doing anything 'productive' lately, so Kiba had suggested that they come down to the gym—something neither of them had done since Kankuro practically forced them—and try to work up a sweat and get some endorphins going.

Now they were just trying to beat the snot out of each other. Gai watched with a smile. He was an odd one. He knew they wouldn't really hurt each other, but he felt that they desperately needed to let off some steam. When they were truly gone and tired, he'd move in and separate them. But not until then.

"Ow! Naruto, you're gonna break my arm, let go!" Kiba protested, trying to wiggle free.

"Say 'I'm a pretty little girl!' first, then I'll let go,"growled Naruto, a smile curving his lips.

"I'm a pretty little girl! Now get off!" Kiba growled, forcing his foot up and into Naruto's face. Naruto whimpered, but refused to let go.

"Now that's not nice!" He chuckled and slugged Kiba in the back of the head before he stood up. "But you did follow your end of the bargain so I gotta get up."

"Ow! Fuck, man, next time we come down here I'm so kicking your ass."

Gai stepped forward, his hands on his hips. "You know, if you guys would like to actually learn how to fight, I have no problem teaching ya the tricks of the trade. I used to be a famous boxer before I got too many concussions... started having hallucinations and they threw me in here. I don't have them anymore, at least I don't think so... But anyway, would you like to stoke the fiery embers of our souls into a more passionate burn?"

"As long as you two aren't trying to play grab as with me... fine." Kiba agreed, smiling. "Sounds like fun, honestly. Kind of makes me want to start up our own 'Fight Club'."

[.-_-.]

KANKURO COULDN'T STAND the thought of having to look her in the eyes as he talked to her; he kept his face buried in her shirt as he spoke to her. His voice wavered pitifully and he hated himself for it.

"He used to call us down to his room at night and force us to kneel at his bedside and pray. He'd hug Temari and send her to her room. Then he'd hug Gaara, and kiss him. Sometimes he made Gaara stay. Others, he sent him to his room and then he'd go 'tuck him in' after..."

Kankuro tried to repress the convulsive shiver of disgust that rippled through him but he could not. He waited for her to say something, but she didn't. She only tightened her fingers' grip on his head, clutching him to her in the only comforting way she could think of.

"He... he never did worse than touch Gaara. I made sure of it. I got the shit beat of me a lot for that, but I never let him do more than touch him. I should have done more, but... I didn't. I should have told someone. I should have gotten us out of there. I shouldn't have let him even touch him..." Kankuro's fist curled around the fabric of her shirt, clenching it in his grasp until he nearly ripped it. He was crying now; he could hear his father's chiding remarks in the back of his mind, even now.

'What are you crying for? I haven't given you a reason to cry yet. Come here, boy. Maybe I ought to see if little girls cry half as much as little boys.'

"Kankuro you couldn't have done anything. You were a child," Kai protested, pulling his face from her chest. He resisted, but relented when he saw that she didn't have a look of disdain, or worse a look of pity on her face. Instead, she looked furious. "It's disgusting. We will kill him, hm? I don't know how, but we will do it. He will suffer for what he did."

Kankuro smiled slightly, pressing his face into her neck so he could inhale the smell of her once again. It had been so long... "Thank you," he mumbled, trying to regain the gravelly tone his voice normally had. It still sounded broken and weak.

"You're welcome," she replied, unsure of just what to say. He pressed his lips against hers in earnest, not giving her a chance to say anything else. Perhaps that was for the best.

[.-_-.]

TSUNADE JOLTED SLIGHTLY when the door opened without warning, trying futilely to swipe the tears from her cheeks. They'd mingled with her mascara, resulting in a dull, hazy gray smear across the apples of her cheeks.

"I'm sorry that I... I didn't stay to help you," murmured Sasori, pinching his earlobe in agitation. "I didn't... I'm not good at this."

"This is highly unprofessional, but a hug would be fucking fantastic right now," she sobbed. Her shoulders sagged dejectedly when he stared at her for a moment. She let out a sob of relief when he wordlessly sat on the desk in front of her, wrapping his arms around her. "Why did this happen? I thought this would mean progress! I... I've never seen him so broken before. I thought it was bad before you told him. But then... then..."

A tide of vicious sobs overcame her and she couldn't continue. Sasori said nothing, he simply held her in an attempt to keep her from falling further apart. It physically hurt him to see her like this; she was the one that he came to when he felt like that inside. He could never be so vocal about his emotions; it would only make him feel worse afterward. Crying was forbidden in his house.

"I just want them to be happy! To have fucking normal lives! Are they not allowed to have it? Am I going about this wrong?" Tsunade attempted to pull back, but Sasori tightened his grip.

"Shh... Uhm, uh... just let it all out." Let it all out? You'd think with as much television as you watch you could at least pretend you know what to say to her, you fucking retard.

Tsunade wailed loudly, wrapping her arms around him as she sobbed. She squeezed so tightly that Sasori's eyes bulged and he had to suck a breath in through his nostrils.

"Do you think it'll be okay? They need to... tell somebody. IF not me, somebody else. They beat themselves up so much about everything. I know I give them a tough time, but it's just to show them I care! Do they hate me?"
"No. They love you. They just can't tell you that. It'd mean they had something to lose."

Tsunade sniffed loudly, pulling back despite his resistance. "Really?"

Sasori nodded, averted his eyes. "Come here, your make up looks hideous." He held his arms open again, laughing slightly when she begrudingly returned to his embrace. "I feel like I'm looking at the living dead."

"I wish I could adopt you, you ungrateful little shit," she said thickly, laughing when he said 'Oh boy! You mean I can have my own room and everything?' "Ah, if only..."

[.-_-.]

SASUKE GLARED AT the book in his hand, unsure why it pissed him off so badly. Orochimaru had forced them to read A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; he utterly loathed it.

"It's not so bad once you get past all the kids fucking and what not," laughed Fae, noticing his bitter expression.

"Oh really? I thought that was the crowning achievement of this masterful piece of shit," purred Kiba in a startlingly good imitation of Orochimaru's serpentine voice.

"Ha! I thought that John's the representation of man as a whole. Of a man that I would just simply love to sink my teeth int-" Sasuke was interrupted by Orochimaru's own voice, which was dripping with sarcasm.

" I'd simply love to ask you why you are so obsessed with my deliciously sexy voice, but I'll refrain and instead ask you why you are so rude as to talk about it while I am right here."

Orochimaru's eyes glinted with mirth, but he didn't wait for a reply as he turned and marched away from them, giving them a serpent like shake.

"Ya know, if he wasn't such a creep he might be a fun guy," laughed Sasuke, putting his hands behind his head. "He hates all the same things I do, and he-"

"Sasuke. Stop. We have cookies. We're the fun darkside. We're saving you from vicious butt-sex," warned Fae, raising her eyebrows in earnest. Sasuke couldn't repress the loud guffaws that erupted from him. Then he paused, thoughtfully.

"Ya know. Naruto and I haven't fucked yet. I wonder who will be the top and who will be the bottom..."

"I kind of just assumed you would-" Fae broke off, realizing that she was implying she'd thought about Naruto and Sasuke doing it. "Wait. I mean, I thought that—well, you're more assertive and-"

"Oh, look, Sasuke! Fae's got a mind that's as dirty as mine!" howled Kiba, laughing so loudly that the librarian shot him a dirty look. Kankuro and Gaara both glared at him for being so vibrantly happy, but he didn't care. As far as he was concerned, his life was golden at the moment.