Wind of Truth & Sands of Change

This is Love

041. Brotherly Love

"Admit it, Kankuro." Temari pressed, a teasing smile on her lips. "You love him. For all your complaints on him being a psychotic, murderous, brat, you love him."

Kankuro crossed his arm and grumbled. All he had done was show concern for Gaara when the medics treated Gaara's wounds and now he was bombarded with impossible accusations. Women were annoying. So what if he was worried about his brother? The Uchiha had broken through Gaara's sand armor after all. The Uzumaki brat had defeated him. He was allowed to be worried. Gaara was supposed to be inhuman. When something freaky like that happened he could show worry. Damn women.

"Admit it!" Temari pressed once more. "Aww…come now, Kanky, admit you love your psychotic little brother."

"Don't call me Kanky." He grumbled.

Temari just smiled and sung softly under her breath. "You love Gaara. You love Gaara. You love Gaara…"

042. What's Love?

Gaara was sitting on the roof watching the stars.

He was still confused. He didn't understand at all.

What was love?

The stars twinkled above him.

"I always feel like they're taunting me." A soft voice said. Gaara craned his head. It was Temari. "You don't mind, do you? If I join you?"

Gaara said nothing, returning his gaze to the stars. Carefully, Temari sat tentatively next to him.

"What…do you mean, by…taunting you?" He rasped

Temari smiled forlornly, "They're so high above, so beautiful, so solitary, so strong, so bright, and so unreachable. They shine where it is dark. They're everything I want to be."

"…But…they aren't solitary…they never shine alone." Gaara muttered. "They're always…"

"Surrounded." Temari finished for him. "I've always tried to go it alone. Maybe that was my problem."

"…Temari…what's…what's love?" He rasped.

Temari gazed at the stars, her eyes clouded, "It's…"

She was Temari. The same boring, slightly crazy Temari he'd always known. But she was different. Or maybe he was different. Or maybe they both were. She was softer, he thought. Kinder, perhaps a bit more determined and insecure. It was strange to see her change.

"Love is, well its funny. It's the most complicated thing in the world, but the simplest at the same time. It's the strong desire to help someone else…" She paused, "It's willing to sacrifice yourself for another. It doesn't make any sense, but it's a good feeling. It's a care so deep that you're in pain when you see the ones you love in pain. …It's love."

Gaara watched the stars, "Do you…think…I could ever be…loved by someone?"

Temari smiled and looked at him, warmth in her eyes. "You are loved, silly. I love you and Kankuro loves you. He won't ever admit it though. He's weird like that." Temari hesitated slightly, then leaned and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, little brother."

Love.

It was a strange thing.

043. Talky Thing

"Kankuro," Gaara stood in the doorway as Kankuro tinkered with his new puppet.

"Yeah, Gaara?"

"What's love?"

Kankuro blinked. "It's…It's a funny emotion that makes you stupid."

Gaara stared blankly at Kankuro. "Is that all?"

"Yeah," he said shrugging, "about."

"Temari's better at explaining." He said bluntly.

"Yeah, she's got that talk-y thing on her side."

Gaara frowned. "Talk-y thing?"

Kankuro grinned. "She never shuts up."

Even Gaara couldn't suppress the small smile.

A/N: Hehe. Talky thing. My cousin says that about me constantly. Only cuz I always win the arguments we have. Totally great in rhetoric that confuses him to no end.

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