This chapter is finally done. I've been preoccupied with Tangle with Death. I should know better than to write two stories at once. Grr. I would like to share my stupid mistake with you all. For most of the 'Merry Christmas'es I put Marry. Oops. I hope I got them all. I am very happy with all the reviews and all 500 hits, yes very happy indeed. So I updated very early!
Kylie-chan, you need to update. I'm just saying. j/k.
Gaara poured himself another cup of coffee while trying to keep the blankets around his arms. This marked his third cup this morning. He hoped someone would wake up soon he was bored, and unable to sleep. He sighed to himself and pulled the soft quilt closer. It was two in the morning; the chances of someone getting up were slim to none. There was nothing on T.V. at this hour and Gaara didn't want to disturb anybody anyway. He considered being mean and waking Kankuro for the hell of it. He wanted someone to talk to. He might start conversing with himself.
Gaara set the coffee cup down angrily, as if to say he was mad at the coffee for not helping. He looked up to start counting the ceiling tiles again. He couldn't focus on them, but he still felt so restless. He was going to go wake Kankuro up. The brunette didn't mind when they were young, Gaara hoped he still felt the same. He drew his blanket close and walked to Kankuro's room quietly. He heard his feet making dull sounds on the floor. The red-haired boy gently poked his head though his brother's door. Kankuro yawned loudly and looked at the doorway drowsily.
"Mmn, Gaara?" He asked squinting in the dark.
"Can't sleep. Can I come in?" Gaara requested.
"Sure." Another loud yawn emitted from the older teen. Gaara kicked a few things out of his way and sat on Kankuro's bed.
"Is something on your mind?" Kankuro asked sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Gaara realized Kankuro wasn't wearing a shirt.
Shit, there's that stupid fluttery feeling. He thought.
"No. Hey, we didn't put up any Christmas lights. You want to?" Gaara said desperate to talk about something.
"Yeah, but not right now, I could use some coffee. Do we have any left?" Kankuro asked.
"Yes, I'll go fix you some." Gaara got up and made his way back through the hallway to the kitchen, he prepared two mugs and brought them back. He sat down facing Kankuro and handed him the cup.
"Arigatou." Kankuro said tiredly. The two sat quietly and drank their coffee. Gaara was trying his best not to stare at Kankuro's chest, so he focused his eyes on the coffee. Kankuro finished his and set it down on his old nightstand. He took a deep breath.
"How many cups have you had?" He asked Gaara. Gaara looked up for a moment catching the concern in his brother's eyes.
"Four." He said and continued drinking.
"It's gotten worse, hasn't it?" Kankuro asked. Gaara nodded. Kankuro was worried, when they were young, Gaara could sleep for at least six hours. If he had four cups of coffee and it was only, wait, what time was it? Kankuro looked at his old alarm clock. Two a.m. They had gone to bed at ten.
"Gaa-chan, what time did you wake up?" Kankuro asked.
Gaara snorted, "What time did I go to sleep?"
"Gaara! You haven't slept at all?" Kankuro moved closer, pulling Gaara's coffee out of his hand and setting it next to his own. The brunette wrapped his arms around Gaara's pale frame and squeezed. Gaara's heart pounded and images flashed through his head. Dirty ones, but he wasn't disgusted. He started blushing, was he in love, with his brother?
What kind of sick bastard am I? Gaara wondered as Kankuro's warmth pulled away. He looked away in disgust with himself.
That would explain it, all the fluttery feelings, the disappointment, the joy, contentment, and my inability to focus. How the hell did it happen? Gaara's head swam. Kankuro had always been nice, caring, a bit of a bully but he was protective too.
"Gaa-chan? Are you okay?"
Not to mention he was gone so long, what was that saying? Absence makes the heart grow fonder? I don't think it means the love would change. From family to romantic! I must be so sick, he can probably tell too. He hates me, just like Father.
"Gaara! Gaara! What's wrong?" Kankuro pulled him into another embrace. Gaara's lids closed, his face buried in Kankuro's chest.
"Gaara?" The redhead's breathing had slowed; Kankuro could see the minute movements of his brother's chest, which were in time with his own. It looked like Gaara had fallen asleep. Kankuro, out of fear of waking the quiescent boy, eased him into a reclined position. He deftly moved the blanket to cover the redhead. Too tired and too comfortable to move to the couch Kankuro lay down next to his brother. They use to share a bed when they were younger, usually after a rough night with father. Kankuro couldn't help but feel bitter towards the man, the police had stated that he wasn't abusive, but Kankuro knew better. Abuse disguised as discipline, not to mention the verbal abuse. Gaara had always taken a hostile stance, trying to make it look like it didn't affect him. It did, just in more dangerous ways, like his insomnia. Gaara shivered under his blanket and Kankuro pulled his bedspread over Gaara. The brunette rested his head and joined Gaara in a fitful sleep.
Gaara eyes blinked open, much to his surprise. He pushed himself up and looked around trying to take the edge off the bright light pouring through the window. He detected a light snoring next to him.
"Kan-kan-k-kuro!" Gaara stuttered comprehending that they had shared a bed.
"Did you sleep well?" Kankuro asked rolling over to face his younger brother.
"Yes, actually." Gaara replied.
"Ureshii." Kankuro smiled. The brunette got up and pulled out some clothes from his suitcase. Gaara left so Kankuro could change. Am I really in love with him? Gaara peeked though the slightly ajar door. He caught Kankuro in his boxers. His nose bled a little. Gaara covered it with his hand.
Yes.
Gaara went to his own room to change.
"Hey, Gaa-chan, want to help with the lights?" Karura asked.
"Okay." The redhead responded.
"Mom, I got the lights and the ladder, are we ready?" Kankuro asked.
"Un!" She smiled. The family went outside and started setting up the lights. Kankuro climbed up to the roof as Karura passed him the lights. The older boy hooked up the lights and plugged them into the correct sockets. Gaara was put in charge of the little light up trees that went on the lawn. They got them up with little trouble, Kankuro almost fell once, but that was it. The trio stepped back to look at their handiwork.
"Looks good!" Karura commented, the lights weren't even lit. Kankuro went to go turn them on. Even though it was bright the white lights contrasted with the sand colored house.
"See it looks good!" Karura said to her doubting sons. Gaara indulged her with a nod.
"Yeah, it doesn't look bad at all." Kankuro kept to himself that Konoha had much more festive decorations. Karura's smile widened.
"It's hot out here." Kankuro yanked his hood off and ran his hand through his hair.
"We should go inside." Gaara said. The Kazes headed inside to cool off.
A few days later.
Gaara sat staring at the illuminated tree. It was Christmas Eve, well Christmas actually but no one else was awake. Gaara was remembering all the Christmases he had; he was also trying to dissect the cause of the feelings Kankuro stirred.
How? When? Why? What do I do? Gaara put his head in his hands, and pulled his blanket close. His thoughts hazily trailed to how warm Kankuro was. Gaara dragged himself from those thoughts before they turned into wild fantasies. His teal eyes stared at the lights on the tree. Even without insomnia he was pretty sure he wouldn't have been able to sleep these past few nights. At least when you loved a stranger you could tell yourself that he didn't care about you. Kankuro cared about him, loved him, but not the same way. Gaara's head was starting to hurt while ruminating the propinquity of their relationship.
"You still awake Gaa-chan?" Karura asked walking out of the room.
"Sono you desu ne." Gaara said bleakly. Karura softened and sat next to her son.
"Share the blanket." She said and snuggled under it. She wrapped her arm around him and played with his hair. Gaara rested his head in her chest as she sang a lullaby.
"I love you." Karura said. Kankuro walked into the room and eyed them. The phone rang and Kankuro went to get it.
"Moshi! Moshi!" he said.
"Hey Kankuro-kun, it's Temari."
"Merry Christmas! How are you?"
"I'm good and same to you. I just wanted to wish you guys that, let me talk to mom." She said. Kankuro brought the phone to Karura.
"Hi, honey!" she said and took the phone to her room.
"Merry Christmas Gaa-chan." Kankuro said cheerily.
"Merry Christmas." Gaara repeated.
"How long do you think they'll be on the phone?" Kankuro asked.
"Until uncle Yashamaru gets here."
"What time did he say he'd come?"
"One or so."
"What are we eating?" Kankuro asked.
"A western style dish. Ham."
"Oh. Sounds good." The brunette said. Karura walked out and hung up the phone.
"Are you ready to start cooking Gaa-chan?" She asked. Gaara nodded. Gaara moved to the kitchen and the two started cook. Kankuro alternated between watching them and watching T.V. Mom didn't have very many relatives, just her brother. Her parents had died a few years ago. Yashamaru was always with them for Christmas, but rarely saw them outside of that. He was very fond of Temari and Gaara, probably because they looked more like Karura. Kankuro looked like his father except bigger, now Yashamaru wasn't downright mean but Kankuro could tell he wasn't wanted. After hours of mindless T.V. the doorbell rang. Gaara and his mother were still in the kitchen.
"I'll get it." Kankuro said and opened to door.
"Hello Kankuro-kun." Yashamaru greeted. Kankuro smiled.
"Hello." He replied and allowed the effeminate man in.
"Karura-chan!"
"Yasha-chan!" the two raced to give each other a hug.
"Gaa-chan!" their uncle said and yanked Gaara into the hug. Kankuro felt a bit left out, but he didn't really want a hug.
"Merry Christmas!" Yashamaru said with a smile. Everyone nodded in acknowledgement. Yashamaru joined Kankuro on the couch.
"You've lost weight. How has the Konoha academy treating you?" Yashamaru asked.
"It's not bad, schoolwork is never fun though." Kankuro said.
"No." Yashamaru agreed.
"Dinner is ready!" Karura chirped. The family went to sit at the table.
"Itadakimasu!"
"It looks delicious sis." Their uncle said.
"Thank you, but Gaa-chan did a lot of it." Karura beamed. The relatives ate happily and in silence, no one was sure of what to say. Everyone helped clean up and then gathered on the floor to open gifts. Karura was elated to open the earrings her boys had given her. She gave them both a hug and a kiss as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Thank you." She said gladly. Kankuro felt very content.
"Gaa-chan, you haven't opened any yet." Yashamaru said and hand him a gift. Gaara read the label; Kankuro. He unwrapped it and pulled out a small cookbook.
Kankuro looked sheepish and said, "I didn't have much money."
"Sh, I love it." Gaara said simply. Yashamaru opened up his gifts, then Kankuro. They had only gotten small things but that was all they wanted. Gaara prepared some coffee as it got later in the evening. He handed mugs to everyone then sat beside Kankuro nuzzling his chest. Hopefully Kankuro wouldn't notice how turned on he was beneath the blanket.
"Mmm, you make the best coffee, you know that?" Kankuro asked.
"Thank you." Gaara mumbled. He was starting to feel drowsy. Kankuro gazed down at him, Gaara's dark lids were closed, indicating that he was falling asleep. Karura smiled at them and ushered Kankuro to take Gaara to bed. The older teen picked up the now listless boy and carried him to bed. He set him down gently and covered him with a blanket. Kankuro feathered a kiss to his younger brother's forehead.
"Yoi yume o." the teen whispered and closed the door gently.
Fluff! WAFF! Beware!
Ureshii: I'm glad
Un: Yeah
Sono you desu ne: Looks like it.
Yoi yume o: Sweet dreams.
Thank you for reading! I am loving the reviews!