Wind of Truth & Sands of Change
Losing Grip
092. Control
Temari had to be in control.
Gaara knew that. Kankuro knew that. Even Baki knew that. But Temari didn't know that. Temari was oblivious to her pervasive need. When she felt control slip from her fingers, she broke down. Not immediately, of course, Temari was too strong and proud for that. She would break down later, once inside the house. She would start to sew. She'd sew every torn cloth in the house and when that was over she'd move on to just sticking a threaded needle through any cloth, regardless of its condition. She'd cut things up just so she could sew them up again. Something about stabbing cloth with a slender instrument relaxed her. This routine would last her hours, and everyone knew better than to interrupt her. Temari had to be in control, and this routine helped her regain the control. Everyone but Temari herself seemed to realize this.
093. Greatest Fear
Sometimes fear overtakes Gaara. Sometimes when Temari smiles at him he thinks he can see Yashamaru's eyes smiling at him. Sometimes when Kankuro talks he thinks he can see Yashamaru's hands gesturing. Sometimes he thinks – he's afraid they're just like Yashamaru and he cowers away. He gets angry and mean. But Kankuro halts the process in a manner neither he nor Temari ever really expect. Kankuro inclines his head and looks at Gaara thoughtfully. "We aren't Yashamaru, Gaara." He says softly. "We won't betray you." Then in a softer voice he adds, "We really do love you." Sometimes the fear leaves when his brother says this to him and sometimes he just hopes it's really true.
094. More Than Just a Human Vessel
Gaara looked outside the window. Shukaku whispered things in his head. It was a full moon; he was louder and angrier than usual. Gaara lifted his hands to his head and cradled it. Shukaku was desperate.
His head throbbed insanely and Shukaku kept speaking rapidly. Begging. Coercing. Manipulating.
The demon didn't halt for a second. He just kept talking and talking.
Gaara cringed. The redhead looked outside the window again. He took a deep breath and tired to push it all away.
The more he deprived the Shukaku the easier it was to control him, but it just made night of the full moon harder to deal with. The level of difficulty didn't particularly matter to him; he would deal with the Shukaku no matter what, because he had a responsibility. He was not the Shukaku's human vessel. He was his own person. And he, Gaara, was the Kazekage. He had a village to protect. And he would protect it from everything, including the murderous monster living inside him.
The Shukaku did not control him anymore.
He would never let it do so again.
A/N: Aww...I'm almost finished. I think I've got...about two chapters left. How sad.